futilitarian

English

Etymology

Blend of futility +‎ utilitarian c. 1830.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /fjuːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəɹi.ən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /fjuˌtɪləˈtɛɹi.ən/
• Rhymes: -ɛəɹiən

Adjective

futilitarian (comparative more futilitarian, superlative most futilitarian)

1. Having the opinion that all human activity is futile.
   • 1918, Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams‎^[1]:

     In America the silence was more oppressive than the ignorance; but perhaps elsewhere the world might still hide some haunt of futilitarian silence where content reigned—although long search had not revealed it—and so the pilgrimage began anew!

Noun

futilitarian (plural futilitarians)

1. A person believing that all human activity is futile.
   • 1918 [1915], Thomas Burke, Nights in London‎^[2], New York: Henry Holt and Company:

     It is in the region of the Island that most of the battles take place between organized labour and the apostles of free labour. Let there be any industrial trouble of any kind, and down upon the district swoop dozens of fussy futilitarians, to argue, exhort, bully, and agitate generally.

2. A person devoted to profitless pursuits.

Related terms

• futilitarianism

Further reading

• 1889, “futilitarian”, in William Dwight Whitney, editor, The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC, page 2421: