public utility

noun

: a business organization (such as an electric company) performing a public service and subject to special governmental regulation

Examples of public utility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One company positioned to benefit is American Electric Power (AEP), a major public utility holding company headquartered in Ohio that, according to its website, distributes electricity to more than five million customers across 11 states. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026

For Nick Lawler, general manager of the Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments, reports of attacks on public utilities are concerning but not surprising. — Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026

Why have only two municipalities in the United States established their own public utilities in the past decade? — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026

Uplifting commercial pop is practically a public utility at this point. — Chris Willman, Variety, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for public utility

• acceptability
• accessibility
• adaptability
• admissibility
• advisability
• affordability
• allowability
• amenability
• amiability
• appealability
• applicability
• availability

Kids Definition

public utility

noun

: a business organization performing a public service and subject to special governmental regulation

Legal Definition

public utility

noun

: a business organization (as an electric company) performing a public service and subject to special government regulation