utilitas

Forms

ūtilitās f (genitive ūtilitātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from ūtilis “useful” with the suffix -tās.^[2][1][3] ⟨Ūtilis⟩ is from ūtor “to use”.^[1][4] The genitive plural is usually ⟨ūtilitātum⟩, but Livy and Ulpian have ⟨ūtilitātium⟩.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of usefulness.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant usefulness, advantage, and with a genitive someone's interest or benefit, as Cicero's nihil ad ūtilitātem suam referre “to refer nothing to his own interest”.^[2][5] It meant the consideration of what is advantageous, expediency, as in Cicero, and in Quintilian practical convenience rather than strict law.^[2] In Ulpian it meant the profit from a thing and legal validity.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant profit, benefit, advantage, usefulness.^[6] Medieval Latin used it of a person's ability, as a form of address, and of business or service.^[7] English utility came in the late 14th century through Old French utilite.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of usefulness.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of interest and expediency.^[2][4]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of practical convenience.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English utility is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. Usefulness, utility; someone's interest, advantage.^[2]
2. Profit from a thing.^[2]
3. Expediency; practical convenience.^[2]
4. (law) Validity.^[2]
5. (Medieval Latin) Ability; business, service.^[7]

Related words

• ūtilis
• ūtor
• English utility

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com