consumer price index

American  

noun

1. an index of the changes in the cost of goods and services to a typical consumer, based on the costs of the same goods and services at a base period. CPI

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consumer price index Cultural  

1. An index published by the government each month of prices for a representative sample of goods and services. The consumer price index was formerly known as the cost-of-living index.

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Etymology

Origin of consumer price index

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The consumer price index climbed 2.8% on a year earlier, the hottest level in almost two years, though annual inflation excluding gasoline was a much cooler 2% for the month.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

But airfares rose 2.8% in April from March and have risen 20.7% from last year, the sharpest annual increase since February 2023, according to the last consumer price index, Barron’s reported.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

Rising prices were a theme on the day, with the latest consumer price index report showing higher-than-expected inflation in April.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

That’s evident in Tuesday’s consumer price index report, which showed inflation at a three-year high in April.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

The Boskin Commission con�cluded in 1996 that the consumer price index overstates the actual rise in the cost of living by a percentage point a year.

From Definition & Reality in the General Theory of Political Economy by Colignatus, Thomas

Related Words

• price index
• retail price index