utilitarian
/juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəɹi.ən/adjective, noun
utilitarian is spelled U-T-I-L-I-T-A-R-I-A-N: 11 letters and 6 syllables. It appears 1.1 times per million words in written English, the 27,150th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, utilitarian means “Of or relating to utility” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in utilitarian?
| Letters | 11: U-T-I-L-I-T-A-R-I-A-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 6 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.1 times per million words; the 27,150th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is utilitarian?
Utilitarian appears 1.1 times per million words in written English, the 27,150th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce utilitarian?
- UK /juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəɹi.ən/
- /juˌtɪləˈtɛɹi.ən/
Utilitarian has 6 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-utilitarian.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with utilitarian?
6 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as utilitarian from its last stressed vowel (/ɛəɹiən/, British pronunciation):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of utilitarian
- more utilitarian comparative
- most utilitarian superlative
- utilitarians plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does utilitarian mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of or relating to utility.
- 2
Pertaining to utilitarianism.
- 3
Practical and functional, present for use, not just for show.
noun
- 1
Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Utilitarian in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | nützlich, zweckmäßig , utilitaristisch , Utilitarist |
| French | utilitariste , utilitaire, fonctionnel, fonctionnelle |
| Portuguese | utilitário , utilitarista |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does utilitarian come from?
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.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).