noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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US:/ˌdɪsjuːˈtɪlɪti/
1
noun
Meaning 1
uselessness, a lack of utility
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
1906, George Bernard Shaw, The Doctor's Dilemma: Preface Up to a certain point doctors, like carpenters and masons, must earn their living by doing the work that the public wants from them; and as it is not in the nature of things possible that such public want should be based on unmixed disutility, it may be admitted that doctors have their uses, real as well as imaginary.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
negative utility
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: economics, microeconomics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
illbeing
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin dis- Old French des-bor. Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- English utility English disutility From dis- + utility.
