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

"We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026."

From BBC

Figures last week showing US unemployment hit a four-year high in November came as a report indicated the rise in consumer prices slowed more than expected.

From Barron's

Before they replace human workers, AI systems need to be able to do the required tasks—and consumers and employers need to trust that AI will do them properly.

From The Wall Street Journal

Another local phenomenon is legal abuse, which affects insurance premiums and other business costs that ultimately get passed onto consumers.

From The Wall Street Journal

They operate with excess capacity and compete aggressively for access to the U.S. consumer.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• buyer
• customer
• purchaser
• shopper
• user