inutile

See also: innutile

English

Etymology

From Middle French inutile, from Latin inutilis. Philippine usage is likely from Tagalog inutil, from Spanish inútil, from the same source. By surface analysis, in- +‎ utile.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪnˈjuːtaɪl/

Adjective

inutile (comparative more inutile, superlative most inutile)

1. (obsolete outside Philippines) useless; unprofitable.

   Synonyms: unuseful, unutilizable

   Antonyms: utile; useful

   • 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:

     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.

   • 2025 September 5, Van Ybiernas, “The most dangerous forms of corruption are subtle and below the radar”, in The Manila Times‎^[1], retrieved 7 September 2025:

     Senator Hontiveros does not strike me as a naive politician. I am certain she knows that lifestyle checks are inutile. Yet, she responded favorably to this drollery, with the proviso that the President includes himself in the farcical charade, which (in sham fashion) Marcos has obliged.

2. (Philippines) useless (of a person); inept.
   • 2021 January 28, Raffy Rey Hipolto, “No consultation with the President?”, in The Philippine Daily Inquirer‎^[2], retrieved 7 September 2025:

     Is President Duterte so inutile that his Cabinet members and other appointees do not consult him on very important matters? Harry Roque said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana did not consult the President regarding the termination of the UP-DND Accord.

French

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin inūtilis (“useless”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i.ny.til/

• Audio (Paris):

  (file)

• Homophone: inutiles
• Hyphenation: i‧nu‧tile

Adjective

inutile (plural inutiles)

1. useless, unnecessary, pointless

   Synonyms: superfétatoire, superflu, vain

   Antonyms: utile, nécessaire, indispensable

Usage notes

• Not to be confused with inutilisable (“unusable”).

Derived terms

• inutilement
• inutilité

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 m or f by sense (plural inutili)

1. useless, unnecessary, needless
2. ineffective

   Synonym: ineffettivo

Antonyms

• utile

Related terms

• inutilità
• inutilizzare
• inutilmente

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ɪˈnuː.tɪ.ɫɛ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [iˈnuː.ti.le]

Adjective

inūtile

1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular of inūtilis

Middle French

Adjective

inutile m or f (plural inutiles)

1. useless

Antonyms

• utile

Descendants

• inutile