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

"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

Prices surged early this year for capital goods.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 15, 2026

However, weakness was broad-based, with declines in capital goods and intermediate goods, offset by a solid increase in energy production, Eurostat said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026

The losers are sectors that depend on oil as an input, such as capital goods manufacturers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026

It is this very production which destroys capital goods and makes it necessary to replace them.

From Essentials of Economic Theory As Applied to Modern Problems of Industry and Public Policy by Clark, John Bates