Utility
/juːˈtɪləti/noun
The quality of being useful or beneficial.
Did you know?Utility comes from Latin *uti*, meaning “to use,” the same ancient root behind words like “opt,” “opportunity,” and “usury,” where power, value, and exchange were all tied to the act of using.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁ed-
“to eat, enjoy, use”
Latin
Latin
uti
“to use, employ, make use of”
Late Latin
Latin
utilitas
“usefulness, advantage”
Old French
Old French
utilité
“usefulness, profit”
Middle English
English
utilite
“usefulness, benefit”
Modern English
English
utility
“usefulness; practical value”
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