Definition of: utility

(y·til′ə·tē) noun plural ·ties
1. Fitness for some desirable, practical purpose; serviceableness; also, that which is necessary.
2. Fitness to supply the natural needs of man.
3. In philosophy, the happiness of mankind; the greatest happiness of the greatest number; the utilitarianism expounded by J. S. Mill.
4. Obs. Use; profit.
5. A public service, as gas, water, or other service.
6. plural Shares of utility company stocks. [<F utilité <L utilitas <utilis useful <uti use] Synonyms: advantage, advantageousness, avail, benefit, expediency, policy, profit, serviceableness, use, usefulness. Utility is somewhat more abstract and philosophical than usefulness or use, and is often employed to denote adaptation to produce a valuable result, while usefulness denotes the actual production of such result. We contrast beauty and utility. We say of an invention its utility is questionable, or, on the other hand, its usefulness has been proved by ample trial, or, I have found it of use. Expediency (literally, the getting the foot out) refers primarily to escape from or avoidance of some difficulty or trouble. Policy is often used in a kindred sense, more positive than expediency, but narrower than utility, as in the proverb “Honesty is the best policy.” See PROFIT, SERVICE. Antonyms: disadvantage, folly, futility, impolicy, inadequacy, inexpediency, inutility, unprofitableness, worthlessness.