inutile
See also: innutile
English
Etymology
From Middle French inutile, from Middle French, from Latin inutilis. See in- (“not”), utile.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɪnˈjuːtaɪl/
Adjective
inutile (comparative more inutile, superlative most inutile)
- (obsolete) useless; unprofitable
- 1631, Francis [Bacon], “(please specify |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], OCLC 1044372886:
- wormwood, and the like, […] dissipate and digest any inutile or excrementitious moisture which lieth in the flesh
- 1840, John Rogers, Anti-popery: Or, Popery Unreasonable, Unscriptural, and Novel (page 191)
- The undermediators are not required, have nothing properly to do, no peculiar duty to perform; but are an unprofitable or inutile set of beings sitting down and looking at each other through want of other occupation.
-
French
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin inūtilis (“useless”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /i.ny.til/
Audio (France, Paris) (file) - Homophone: inutiles
- Hyphenation: i‧nu‧tile
Adjective
inutile (plural inutiles)
- unused
- useless, unnecessary, pointless
Usage notes
- Not to be confused with inutilisable (“unusable”).
Synonyms
- superfétatoire
- superflu
- vain
Antonyms
- utile
- nécessaire
Further reading
- “inutile”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Italian
Etymology
From Latin inūtilis, from in- + ūtilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /iˈnu.ti.le/
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -utile
- Hyphenation: i‧nù‧ti‧le
Adjective
inutile (plural inutili)
- useless, unnecessary, needless
- ineffective
- Synonym: ineffettivo
Antonyms
- utile
Related terms
- inutilità
- inutilizzare
- inutilmente
Latin
Adjective
inūtile
- nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular of inūtilis
Middle French
Adjective
inutile m or f (plural inutiles)
- useless
Antonyms
- utile
Descendants
- inutile