utilis

Etymology

From ūtor (“use”) +‎ -ilis. Compare ūtēnsilis.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈuː.ti.lis/, [ˈuːt̪ɪlʲɪs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈu.ti.lis/, [ˈuːt̪ilis]

Adjective

ūtilis (neuter ūtile, comparative ūtilior, superlative ūtilissimus or ūtillimus, adverb ūtiliter); third-declension two-termination adjective

1. useful, serviceable, beneficial, profitable, advantageous; helpful.
   • 8 CE, Ovid, Fasti 6.223–224:

     tum mihi post sacrās mōnstrātur Iūnius Īdūs
     ūtilis et nūptīs, ūtilis esse virīs.

     [The month of] June, after the sacred Ides, was then shown to me to be beneficial for brides, and beneficial for husbands.
     (See June.)

2. fit, suitable, adapted, proper.

   Synonyms: opportūnus, commodus, habilis, idōneus, conveniēns, ūtēnsilis, aptus, dignus, iūstus, lēgitimus, habilis, salūber, ūtibilis

   Antonyms: incommodus, inūtilis, ineptus, irritus, grātuītus

References

• “utilis”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “utilis”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• utilis in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.