What does "consumption" mean?

1. (eating or drinking) the act of eating or drinking something. 2. (using resources) the amount of something that is used, such as fuel, energy, or time. 3. (buying goods) the act of buying and using products and services. 4. (tuberculosis) an old word for a serious lung disease called tuberculosis.

consumption

US //kənˈsəmpʃən// UK //kənsˈʌmpʃən// con·sump·tion

1 eating or drinking (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the act of eating or drinking something.

the ingestion of food or liquid. Uncountable in this general sense.

Example

The doctor advised him to reduce his daily consumption of sugar.

Example

Public health experts are concerned that the excessive consumption of processed fats is contributing to a rise in heart disease among younger populations.
- ingestion
- eating
2 using resources (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

the amount of something that is used, such as fuel, energy, or time.

the process of using up a resource or the specific amount of a resource used. Often used in economic or technical contexts.

Example

The new car has much lower fuel consumption than the old model.

Example

Industrial energy consumption peaked during the winter months, forcing the government to implement temporary subsidies for smaller manufacturing firms.
- production
- conservation

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3 buying goods (n.)
C1 Advanced Academic

the act of buying and using products and services.

the purchase and use of goods and services by the public, often viewed as an economic indicator.

Example

The report shows that domestic consumption has increased this year.

Example

Economists argue that a shift toward sustainable consumption is necessary to mitigate the environmental impact of global trade.
- spending
- purchasing
- saving
4 tuberculosis (n.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Medicine

an old word for a serious lung disease called tuberculosis.

a historical term for pulmonary tuberculosis, characterized by a wasting away of the body.

Example

In the nineteenth century, many famous poets died of consumption.

Example

The novel depicts the tragic decline of the protagonist as she succumbs to consumption, a common literary trope in Victorian fiction.
- tuberculosis
- TB

Origin

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.