Utili

Utili is a word in Italian with two primary uses, as an adjective and as a noun, and it also appears in specialized financial terminology.

As an adjective, utile means useful or advantageous. It is the plural form for both masculine and feminine nouns, as in strumenti utili (useful tools) or informazioni utili (useful information). The term is commonly used in everyday language to describe practical or beneficial characteristics of objects, actions, or plans.

As a noun, utile denotes profit or gain. In this sense, the plural utili refers to profits, earnings, or net gains, particularly in business or accounting contexts. Common phrases include utili d’esercizio (profits for the financial year) and utile netto (net profit). The noun usage is formal and frequent in financial reporting and corporate discourse.

Etymology traces utile to the Latin utilis, meaning useful. In Italian, the related noun utile is sometimes contrasted with utilità, the more abstract noun meaning usefulness or utility, and with utilità pubblica (public utility) in legal and policy contexts.

Usage and distinctions: in ordinary speech, utile is primarily an adjective meaning useful, while the noun form utile (singular) appears mainly in specialized contexts to mean profit or gain; utili (plural) is used for profits. The term is often found in financial statements, business reports, and economic discussions, sometimes in fixed expressions like gli utili aziendali or utile operativo.

See also: utile, utilità, utilità economica.