Etymology : Middle English consumpcioun, from Latin consumption-, consumptio, from consumere
Pronunciation : k&n-'s&m(p)-sh&n
Function : noun
Date : 14th century
1. using up, consuming; tuberculosis (infectious disease). consumption\con*sump"tion\ (?; 215), n. [l. consumptio: cf. f. consomption.].
2. the act or process of consuming by use, waste, etc.; decay; destruction. every new advance of the price to the consumer is a new incentive to him to retrench the quality of his consumption.
3. the state or process of being consumed, wasted, or diminished; waste; diminution; loss; decay.
4. (med.) a progressive wasting away of the body; esp., that form of wasting, attendant upon pulmonary phthisis and associated with cough, spitting of blood, hectic fever, etc.; pulmonary phthisis; -- called also pulmonary consumptionconsumption of the bowels (med.), inflammation and ulceration of the intestines from tubercular disease.
5. The act or process of consuming by use, waste, etc.; decay; destruction.
6. The state or process of being consumed, wasted, or diminished; waste; diminution; loss; decay.
7. A progressive wasting away of the body; esp., that form of wasting, attendant upon pulmonary phthisis and associated with cough, spitting of blood, hectic fever, etc.; pulmonary phthisis; called also pulmonary consumption. the act of consuming something the process of taking food into the body through the mouth the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing; "the consumption of energy has increased steadily".
8. 1. The consumption of fuel or natural resources is the amount of them that is used or the act of using them. The laws have led to a reduction in fuel consumption in the US. a tax on the consumption of non-renewable energy resources.
9. The consumption of food or drink is the act of eating or drinking something, or the amount that is eaten or drunk. Most of the wine was unfit for human consumption The average daily consumption of fruit and vegetables is around 200 grams.
10. Consumption is the act of buying and using things. Recycling the waste from our increased consumption is better than burning it. see also:
conspicuous consumption. In economics, the final using up of goods and services. The term excludes the use of intermediate products in the production of other goods (e.g., the purchase of buildings and machinery by a business). Economists use statistical information on income and purchases to trace trends in consumption, seeking to map consumer demand for goods and services. In classical economics, consumers are assumed to be rational and to allocate expenditures in such a way as to maximize total satisfaction from all purchases. Incomes and prices are seen as consumption's two major determinants. Critics of the model point out that there are many exceptions to rational consumer behaviour for example, the phenomenon of conspicuous consumption, in which the high price of a product increases its prestige and adds to demand.