utilitarian
/juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəɹi.ən/ adjective, noun
Forms utilitarians
- adjective Of or relating to utility.
- adjective (ethics) Pertaining to utilitarianism.
- adjective Practical and functional, present for use, not just for show.
- noun Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Synonyms
Etymology
From utility + -arian. Coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham as early as 1781, and popularized by his student John Stuart Mill, who mistakenly attributed the term to John Galt.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Of or pertaining to utility; consisting in utility; as, utilitarian narrowness; a utilitarian indifference to art.
- adjective Of or pertaining to utilitarianism; supporting utilitarianism; as, the utilitarian view of morality; the Utilitarian Society. J. S. Mill.
- noun One who holds the doctrine of utilitarianism.
Etymology [See Utility.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “utilitarian”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details