Disutility

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌdɪsjuːˈtɪlɪti/

Definitions

1. A situation that leads to a lack of advantage is known as detrimental
2. A condition that produces unfavorable consequences can be described as harmful
3. The quality of producing no benefit or usefulness in a given context

Etymology: "Disutility" is one of those words that seems to need no explanation: it is simply the opposite of utility, with the negating prefix "dis-" attached to a much older root. The prefix comes from Latin "dis-", which English borrowed through Middle English, and it reverses or removes whatever follows it, much as it does in "disagree" or "dishonest." The base word, "utility," carries the older history. It descends from Latin "ūtilitās," built on "ūtilis" ("useful"), itself from "ūtī," "to use." Latin "ūtilitās" passed through Old French "utilite" into Middle English, which is where the chain that leads to modern "utility" begins. The compound was formed in English by joining "dis-" to "utility," so the word is a transparent English formation rather than an inherited Latin term. Its meaning is simply the absence of usefulness, though in economics the term is also used for the negative satisfaction or cost a person derives from something.

Synonyms: detriment, disadvantage, hardship

Antonyms: utility, benefit, advantage