late 14c., "fact of being useful," from Old French utilite "usefulness" (13c., Modern French + utilité), earlier utilitet (12c.), from Latin utilitatem (nominative utilitas) "usefulness, serviceableness, profit," from utilis "usable," from uti (see use (v.)). Meaning "a useful thing" is from late 15c. As a shortened form of public utility it is recorded from 1930.
权威例句
1. Belief in the utility of higher education is shared by students nationwide.
全国的学生都相信高等教育是有用的。
2. A fur coat has more utility in winter than in autumn.
毛皮外衣在冬天比在秋天更有用.
3. This ware is suitable for decorative purpose but unsuitable for utility.
这种器皿中看不中用.
4. The utility focuses on geometry only at point.
在这点上,utility仅仅聚焦几何条件.
5. Even the survey's most rabid critics acknowledge the utility of this kind of data.