consumer

American  

[kuhn-soo-mer] / kənˈsu mər /

noun

1. a person or thing that consumes.

2. Economics. a person or organization that uses a commodity or service.

3. Ecology. an organism, usually an animal, that feeds on plants or other animals.

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consumer British  

/ kənˈsjuːmə /

noun

1. a person who acquires goods and services for his or her own personal needs Compare producer

2. a person or thing that consumes

3. (usually plural) ecology an organism, esp an animal, within a community that feeds upon plants or other animals See also decomposer producer

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consumer Scientific  

/ kən-so̅o̅′mər /

1. A heterotrophic organism that feeds on other organisms in a food chain.

2. ◆ Herbivores that feed on green plants and detritivores that feed on decaying matter are called primary consumers. Carnivores that feed on herbivores or detritivores are called secondary consumers, while those that feed on other carnivores are called tertiary consumers.

3. Compare producer

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consumer Cultural  

1. Someone who purchases a good for personal use.

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Other Word Forms

• anticonsumer noun
• consumership noun
• nonconsumer adjective
• preconsumer noun

Etymology

Origin of consumer

First recorded in 1375–1425, for the earlier sense “squanderer,” 1525–35 for the current sense; Middle English; consume + -er ¹

Compare meaning

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

• consumer vs. capital goods

Example Sentences

“I wouldn’t be chasing that,” said Talley Léger, chief market strategist at the Wealth Consulting Group, noting that any pickup in consumer sentiment based on a reaccelerating economy could crush gold prices.

From MarketWatch

The big banks, during their quarterly results in January, said that consumers, overall, were fine.

From MarketWatch

Apple’s profit margins will face pressure this year, analysts say, and consumers could eventually feel the hit.

From The Wall Street Journal

This shift towards AI for cost reduction is leading to steadier cash flow and improved operating margins for consumer companies.

From Barron's

Chinese consumer platforms are integrating artificial intelligence directly into customer-facing functions to stabilize margins and reshape competition.

From Barron's

Related Words

• buyer
• customer
• purchaser
• shopper
• user