consumer

American  

[kuhn-soo-mer] / kənˈsu mər /

noun

1. a person or thing that consumes.

2. Economics. a person or organization that uses a commodity or service.

3. Ecology. an organism, usually an animal, that feeds on plants or other animals.

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consumer British  

/ kənˈsjuːmə /

noun

1. a person who acquires goods and services for his or her own personal needs Compare producer

2. a person or thing that consumes

3. (usually plural) ecology an organism, esp an animal, within a community that feeds upon plants or other animals See also decomposer producer

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consumer Scientific  

/ kən-so̅o̅′mər /

1. A heterotrophic organism that feeds on other organisms in a food chain.

2. ◆ Herbivores that feed on green plants and detritivores that feed on decaying matter are called primary consumers. Carnivores that feed on herbivores or detritivores are called secondary consumers, while those that feed on other carnivores are called tertiary consumers.

3. Compare producer

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consumer Cultural  

1. Someone who purchases a good for personal use.

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Other Word Forms

• anticonsumer noun
• consumership noun
• nonconsumer adjective
• preconsumer noun

Etymology

Origin of consumer

First recorded in 1375–1425, for the earlier sense “squanderer,” 1525–35 for the current sense; Middle English; consume + -er ¹

Compare meaning

How does consumer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• consumer vs. capital goods

Example Sentences

Her stories explore all aspects of consumer technology, particularly mobile devices, cybersecurity, health and fitness.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the University of Michigan’s preliminary February survey of consumers, 60% of respondents said they expect the unemployment rate to rise over the next 12 months.

From The Wall Street Journal

Siraj Hussain, a former agriculture ministry top official, said Indian consumers were purchasing more nuts, "so it's import may not have much impact on local production", and will help satisfy high demand.

From Barron's

"My hope is that the outcome is a company that both brings prosperity to the communities in which it operates and succeeds in rebuilding consumer interest in diamonds," he said.

From Barron's

That includes such sectors as materials, consumer staples and, yes, industrials.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• buyer
• customer
• purchaser
• shopper
• user