consumption
noun/kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/
Etymology From con- + Latin sūmptus + -ion, from Middle English consumpcioun, from Old French consumpcion, from Latin cōnsūmptiō, from cōnsūmō + -tiō, from con- (“with, together”) + sūmō (“take; consume”). Equivalent to consume + -tion.
1
Usually The act of eating, drinking or using.
- The consumption of snails as food is more common in France than in England.
- A Guardia Civil spokesperson said that ayahuasca, San Pedro, toad poison, wild rue and mimosa pudica were prohibited substances in Spain, adding that their consumption was not authorised because, while they were natural substances, they could be highly dangerous to human health.2025 August 11, Sam Jones, “Ayahuasca and toad poison seized as police raid spiritual retreats in Spain”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
2
Usually The amount consumed.
- gross national consumption
3
Usually The act of consuming or destroying.
- The fire's consumption of the forest caused ecological changes.
- Driving methods have a direct bearing on fuel consumption with every type of motive power.1963 February, “Diesel locomotive faults and their remedies”, in Modern Railways, page 99:
5
Medicine, Pathology, Sciences Dated, Usually Pulmonary tuberculosis and other diseases that cause wasting away, lung infection, etc.
- And then as to your ſcurvys, and gouts, rheumatiſms, conſumptions, coughs and catarrhs, tar-vvater and turpentine vvill make you as ſound as a roach.1763 June 20 (first performance), Samuel Foote, The Mayor of Garret. A Comedy, […], London: […] P[aul] Vaillant, […], published 1764, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 4:
6
Dated, Euphemistic, Usually Alcoholism as it precipitates a person's death (especially of natural causes).
- Derived terms
25 terms
anticonsumption, autoconsumption, coconsumption, conspicuous consumption, consumptional, consumption function, consumption good, consumption room, consumption weed, cyberconsumption, hyperconsumption, induced consumption, metaconsumption, nonconsumption, over-consumption, overconsumption, photoconsumption, power consumption, prosumption, quick consumption, reconsumption, self-consumption, specific fuel consumption, underconsumption, virtual consumption- Related terms
- consumer