capital goods

American  

plural noun

Economics.

1. machines and tools used in the production of other goods (contrasted with consumer goods).

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capital goods British  

plural noun

1. Also called: producer goods.  economics goods that are themselves utilized in the production of other goods rather than being sold to consumers Compare consumer goods

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capital goods Cultural  

1. Goods used in the production of commodities; producers' goods. (Compare consumer goods.)

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Etymology

Origin of capital goods

First recorded in 1895–1900

Compare meaning

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

• consumer vs. capital goods

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

capital goods

No longer just a producer of low-value consumer goods, the nation now is exporting more of the higher-value intermediate and capital goods that underpin global manufacturing, such as chips, precision machinery and robotic arms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

China is shifting from producing cheap consumer goods to exporting higher-value intermediate and capital goods that underpin global manufacturing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Government data showed that exports of capital goods like computers and civilian aircraft also climbed.

From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026

"With demand for the AI build out still elevated, we expect capital goods imports will remain solid this year," US economist Grace Zwemmer of Oxford Economics told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026

Production of capital goods provided employment for 52.5 percent of the workers, and consumer goods industries absorbed the remainder.

From Area Handbook for Bulgaria by Violeta D. Baluyut