Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

futility

/fjuˈtɪləti/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.96 in modern English

Syllables
fu-til-i-ty
IPA
/fjuˈtɪləti/
14
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The quality of being futile or useless.

Uncountable

noun

Something, especially an act, that is futile.

Countable

noun

Unimportance.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Latin fūtilitās (“worthlessness, futility”). By surface analysis, futile + -ity.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *ǵʰew-, fūtilitās

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /fjuˈtɪləti/
  • British English: /fjuːˈtɪlɪti/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce futility?
The recorded pronunciation is /fjuˈtɪləti/.
What does futility mean?
The quality of being futile or useless.
Where does futility come from?
It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce futility

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “futility”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/fjuˈtɪləti/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “futility”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “futility” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.