consumption

[ kuhn-suhmp-shuhn ]
See synonyms for consumption on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act of consuming, as by use, decay, or destruction.

  2. the amount consumed: the high consumption of gasoline.

  1. Economics. the using up of goods and services having an exchangeable value.

  2. Pathology.

    • Older Use. tuberculosis of the lungs.

    • progressive wasting of the body.

Origin of consumption

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English consumpcyon, from Middle French, from Latin consūmptiōn-, stem of consūmptiō “employment, use, waste,” from consūmpt(us) “used up” (past participle of consūmere “to use up, waste”; see consume ) + -iō -ion

Other words for consumption

Other words from consumption

  • non·con·sump·tion, noun
  • o·ver·con·sump·tion, noun
  • pre·con·sump·tion, noun
  • self-con·sump·tion, noun
  • un·der·con·sump·tion, noun

Words Nearby consumption

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use consumption in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for consumption

consumption

/ (kənˈsʌmpʃən) /


noun
  1. the act of consuming or the state of being consumed, esp by eating, burning, etc

  2. economics expenditure on goods and services for final personal use

  1. the quantity consumed

  2. pathol a condition characterized by a wasting away of the tissues of the body, esp as seen in tuberculosis of the lungs

Origin of consumption

1
C14: from Latin consumptiō a wasting, from consūmere to consume

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