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Synonyms

consumptive

American  
[kuhn-suhmp-tiv] / kənˈsʌmp tɪv /

adjective

  1. tending to consume; destructive; wasteful.

  2. relating to consumption by use.

  3. Pathology.

    1. relating to or of the nature of consumption.

    2. disposed to or affected with consumption.


noun

  1. Older Use. a person with tuberculosis.

consumptive British  
/ kənˈsʌmptɪv /

adjective

  1. causing consumption; wasteful; destructive

  2. pathol relating to or affected with consumption, esp tuberculosis of the lungs

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. pathol a person who suffers from consumption

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • consumptively adverb
  • consumptiveness noun
  • nonconsumptive adjective
  • nonconsumptively adverb
  • nonconsumptiveness noun
  • unconsumptive adjective
  • unconsumptively adverb

Etymology

Origin of consumptive

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English adjective and noun consumptif “eliminating or reducing morbid humors or tissue; an agent that eliminates or reduces morbid humors or tissue,” from Medieval Latin consūmptīvum, noun use of adjective consūmptīvus “wasteful, destructive; suffering from pulmonary consumption”; consumption, -ive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Taking steps now to decrease consumptive uses across the Basin will reduce the need to implement draconian measures in the following years.”

From Los Angeles Times

On a financial level, how DeepSeek functions with fewer resources will raise unavoidable sustainability questions when other AI companies attempt to succeed using more consumptive models.

From Salon

Suddenly, even adult celebrities looked like consumptive children.

From Los Angeles Times

"We don't say AI is inherently good or that it is empirically better, just that when we looked at it in these instances, it was less energy consumptive," Torrance said.

From Science Daily

“Although we ought to feel good about our collective effort to retain desperately needed storage, we must remain vigilant to continue the hard work to reduce consumptive use,” Schmidt wrote.

From Los Angeles Times