utilis Latin · revision 7210
16 Oct 2026, 13:19 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)”
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la ūtor}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈuː.tɪ.lɪs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈuː.ti.lis]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''ūtilis''' (neuter ūtile, comparative ūtilior, superlative ūtilissimus or ūtillimus, adverb ūtiliter); third-declension two-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[ūtor]] “to use” with the suffix [[-ilis]]; compare [[ūtēnsilis]].^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Köbler's first source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC, and Lewis and Short cite Cato's ''hae hamae ūtilēs sunt'' “these buckets are useful”.^(Köbler 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant useful, serviceable, beneficial, profitable, advantageous, absolutely or with a dative of the person, as in Cicero and Caesar.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant useful, profitable, beneficial, serviceable.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it of things in good condition and of persons skilful, competent and honest, and British Medieval Latin of what is legally valid.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian and French ''utile'' and Spanish and Portuguese ''útil''.^(Wiktionary) [[en|utile]] came through Old French in the late 15th century, and [[en|utilize]] in 1794 from French ''utiliser''.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has the word.^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 234–149 BC – Cato calls buckets ''ūtilēs''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of what is useful to someone.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * late 15th century – English ''utile'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # [[m|en|Useful]], serviceable, beneficial, profitable.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Of things, sound; of persons, skilful, competent.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Legally valid.^(DMLBS)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[inūtilis]]
+ * [[perūtilis]]
+ * [[ūtilitās]]
+ * [[ūtiliter]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[ūtor]]
+ * [[en|utile]]
+ * [[en|utility]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}