consignment
Americannoun
-
the act of consigning.
-
something that is consigned.
-
Commerce. property sent to an agent for sale, storage, or shipment.
adjective
idioms
noun
-
the act of consigning; commitment
-
a shipment of goods consigned
-
for payment by the consignee after sale
he made the last shipment on consignment
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of consignment
Explanation
Consignment means the delivery of things, like clothing or furniture, for sale or donation to someone else. A "consignment shop" is a clothing store that sells other people's clothing and goods. Consignment is a commercial term that refers to a giving over of objects. If your goods are on consignment, you still technically own them while they are on sale at the consignment shop. The word sometimes refers literally to goods being delivered or shipped, such as food or cargo. Consignment can also mean entrusting a person into the care of someone else, as when you put your aging grandparents in an old-aged home.
Vocabulary lists containing consignment
The Secret Life of Bees
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Siddhartha
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the living room, an elegant cream-colored linen sofa from the Home Consignment Center is the main piece.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026
Jim Wynne, a former FBI agent who worked that case, noticed a pattern emerging in Doyle’s crimes: Consignment fraud.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026
This is Consignment Lounge, the Chicago tavern-meets-curio-shop that calls itself “an aesthetically pleasing collection of useless items for sale inside a neighborhood bar.”
From Salon • Apr. 30, 2025
CBP officers at the Port of Milwaukee Express Consignment Operations facility inspected the shipment and sent it to the Federal Bureau of Investigations Headquarters’ Mechanical Engineering Division for further analysis.
From Fox News • Feb. 23, 2022
Translation of a Letter from Timbuctoo, which accompanied the foregoing Consignment.
From An Account of Timbuctoo and Housa Territories in the Interior of Africa by Jackson, James Grey
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.