utilitarian

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /juˌtɪləˈtɛɹi.ən/ UK /juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəɹi.ən/ See IPA manual

Freq #59114

Meanings

1

adj
Designed to be useful and practical rather than attractive.

The kitchen was plain and utilitarian, with no decoration at all.
2

noun
A person who believes that actions are right if they bring the greatest good to the most people.

As a utilitarian, he judged every choice by how much happiness it created.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · designed to be useful and... useful practical

Etymology

From utility + -arian. Coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham as early as 1781, and popularized by his student John Stuart Mill, who mistakenly attributed the term to John Galt.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# utilitarian

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /juˌtɪləˈtɛɹi.ən/
**IPA (UK):** /juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəɹi.ən/
**Frequency rank:** 59114

## Meanings
1. Designed to be useful and practical rather than attractive.
2. A person who believes that actions are right if they bring the greatest good to the most people.

## Examples
- The kitchen was plain and utilitarian, with no decoration at all.
- As a utilitarian, he judged every choice by how much happiness it created.

## Etymology
From utility + -arian. Coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham as early as 1781, and popularized by his student John Stuart Mill, who mistakenly attributed the term to John Galt.

## AI Etymology
Utilitarian is from utility + -arian. Coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham as early as 1781, and popularized by his student John Stuart Mill, who mistakenly attributed the term to John Galt. In present-day use, it can mean designed to be useful and practical rather than attractive, or a person who believes that actions are right if they bring the greatest good to the most people.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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