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

Explanation

A consumer is someone who buys or consumes, or uses up, something. An economy could not keep functioning without consumers. Long before smorgasbords, shopping malls, or eBay, people craved pretty and tasty things. So those who spoke Latin invented the word consumere, which meant to use up, eat, or waste. Being a consumer doesn't necessarily mean you are squandering. We're all consumers when we go through the checkout line at the grocery store, for instance.

Example Sentences

Every 10 cents at the pump adds $12 billion annually in consumer cost.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Overall consumer loans at the largest banks all climbed by low single-digit percentages in the first quarter over last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

In the U.S., group sales were 12% lower on year over the most recent three-month period as health-conscious consumer continue to shy away from drinking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

But consumer groups want to ensure that it follows through with this promise and some are sceptical.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

But for every dollar a consumer spends on HFCS, say in a soft drink, farmers get only four cents.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Related Words

• buyer
• customer
• purchaser
• shopper
• user