conspicuous consumption

noun

1. public enjoyment of possessions that are known to be costly so that one's ability to pay for such things is flaunted.

conspicuous consumption

noun

1. spending in a lavish or ostentatious way, esp to impress others with one's wealth

conspicuous consumption

1. Buying unnecessary and expensive products and services as a way to show off wealth. The term was coined by U.S. economist Thorstein Veblen in The Theory of the Leisure Class.

Word History and Origins

Origin of conspicuous consumption¹

Used by Thorstein Veblen in The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899)