UTILITARIAN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does utilitarian mean? 

• UTILITARIAN (noun)
  The noun UTILITARIAN has 1 sense:

1. someone who believes that the value of a thing depends on its utility

  Familiarity information: UTILITARIAN used as a noun is very rare.

• UTILITARIAN (adjective)
  The adjective UTILITARIAN has 2 senses:

1. having a useful function

2. having utility often to the exclusion of values

  Familiarity information: UTILITARIAN used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UTILITARIAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who believes that the value of a thing depends on its utility

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("utilitarian" is a kind of...):

moralist (a philosopher who specializes in morals and moral problems)

Derivation:

utilitarian (having a useful function)

• UTILITARIAN (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having a useful function

Synonyms:

useful; utilitarian

Context example:

utilitarian steel tables

Similar:

functional (designed for or capable of a particular function or use)

Derivation:

utilitarian (someone who believes that the value of a thing depends on its utility)

utility (the quality of being of practical use)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having utility often to the exclusion of values

Context example:

plain utilitarian kitchenware

Similar:

useful; utile (being of use or service)

Derivation:

utility (the quality of being of practical use)

 Context examples 

Tut, my dear sir, we live in a utilitarian age.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

For the first time he realized that eating was something more than a utilitarian function.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)