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

However, with elevated energy prices likely to weigh on the global economy, Yamaguchi expects demand for Japanese products to fade, especially for non-AI-related capital goods.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

The U.S. also imported more consumer goods and capital goods than in February.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026

Prices surged early this year for capital goods.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 15, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026

In theory, the demands of final consumers for consumption and capital goods would determine the nature of the contracts through all stages of production down to the producers of raw materials.

From Area Handbook for Romania by Bernier, Donald W.