consumption

American  

[kuhn-suhmp-shuhn] / kənˈsʌmp ʃən /

noun

1. the act of consuming, as by use, decay, or destruction.

   Synonyms:

   utilization, exploitation, depletion

2. the amount consumed.

   the high consumption of gasoline.

3. Economics. the using up of goods and services having an exchangeable value.

4. Pathology.

   1. Older Use. tuberculosis of the lungs.

   2. progressive wasting of the body.

---

consumption British  

/ kənˈsʌmpʃən /

noun

1. the act of consuming or the state of being consumed, esp by eating, burning, etc

2. economics expenditure on goods and services for final personal use

3. the quantity consumed

4. pathol a condition characterized by a wasting away of the tissues of the body, esp as seen in tuberculosis of the lungs

---

Other Word Forms

• nonconsumption noun
• overconsumption noun
• preconsumption noun
• self-consumption noun
• underconsumption noun

Etymology

Origin of consumption

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English consumpcyon, from Middle French, from Latin consūmptiōn-, stem of consūmptiō “employment, use, waste,” from consūmpt(us) “used up” (past participle of consūmere “to use up, waste”; consume ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

Last month, yields on long-term Japanese bonds hit record highs after Takaichi pledged to exempt food from an eight-percent consumption tax to ease the pain of inflation on households.

From Barron's

She pointed out that the latest data indicates that the personal consumption expenditures price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, rose 2.9% year over year in December.

From Barron's

The centerpiece of her campaign is a temporary suspension in the consumption tax on food.

From The Wall Street Journal

Constable’s oil sketches, most unintended for public consumption, could be just as large and daring, and were prized for their extraordinarily loose paint-handling, transient atmospheric effects and true-to-nature palettes, the fruit of his plein-air practice.

From The Wall Street Journal

When evidence from previous studies is combined, analyses suggest that cheese consumption may also be linked to a lower risk of heart disease, and that full-fat dairy does not necessarily increase cardiovascular risk.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• drinking
• expenditure
• utilization