- Today's Word
Utilitarian
yoo-til-ih-TAIR-ee-uhn
Definition
(adjective) Designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive.
Example
The apartment had a utilitarian design—nothing fancy, but everything served a purpose.
Fun Fact
In both design and ethics, utilitarianism has shaped everything from minimalist furniture to moral theory. In philosophy, it’s tied to thinkers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, who argued that the best actions are those that produce the most good for the most people.
(adjective) Asserting opinions or beliefs in an arrogant, rigid, and often unyielding way.
His dogmatic approach left no room for compromise or alternative ideas.
Mid 17th century: from late Latin dogmaticus, from Greek dogmatikos, from dogma ‘opinion, tenet’.