utility

Etymology

From Middle English utilite, from Old French utilite, utilitet (“usefulness”), from Latin ūtilitās, from uti (“to use”). Surface etymology utile + -ity.

noun

1. The state or condition of being useful; usefulness.
2. Something that is useful.
   Undoubtedly it can be said that the humble 0-6-0 has been the backbone for general service, or general utility on British railways right from their earliest days, and is likely to remain so. 1945 November and December, H. C. Casserley, “Random Reflections on British Locomotive Types—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 320
3. (economics) The ability of a commodity to satisfy needs or wants; the satisfaction experienced by the consumer of that commodity.
4. (philosophy) Well-being, satisfaction, pleasure, or happiness.
5. (business) A commodity or service provided on a continuous basis by a physical infrastructure network, such as electricity, water supply or sewerage.
6. (business, finance, by extension) A natural or legal monopoly distributer of such a utility; or, the securities of such a provider.
7. (computing) A software program designed to perform a single task or a small range of tasks, often to help manage and tune computer hardware, an operating system or application software.
   I've bought a new disk utility that can recover deleted files.
   The system includes an 8080 and a Z80 assembler, a Tektronix format downloader and other utilities. 1982, InfoWorld, volume 4, number 10, page 35
8. (sports) The ability to play multiple positions.

adj

1. Having to do with, or owned by, a service provider.
   utility line; utility bill
2. (Of a building or its components) containing or intended for any of a building’s often-utility-related commodity transport, such as pipes or wires, or converting equipment, such as furnaces, water tanks or heaters, circuit breakers, central air conditioning units, laundry facilities, etc.
   utility room; utility corridor
3. Functional rather than attractive.
   "Chocolate and cream," the standard colours of G.W.R. rolling stock for 21 years, are now being replaced by an all-over utility coating of reddish-brown. This is the third time that a uniform brown has been adopted as the standard livery of G.W.R. carriages. 1943 March and April, “G.W.R. Rolling Stock Colours”, in Railway Magazine, page 106