Consumption
/kənˈsʌmpʃən/
Definitions
3 meaningsThe act of using up a resource, such as fuel or food.
/kənˈsʌmpʃən/
The act of using up a resource
The consumption of water in the region has increased dramatically due to population growth.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're eating a yummy pizza. The pizza is the resource, and every bite you take is consumption! It's the act of using things up.
👶 For kids: When you eat food, you are using it up. That's consumption!
More Examples
The company is focused on reducing energy consumption in its factories.
He worried about the high consumption of alcohol at the party.
How It's Used
"Consumer spending is a key driver of economic growth."
"Reducing the consumption of fossil fuels is vital to combat climate change."
"Excessive sugar consumption can lead to various health problems."
The act of eating or drinking.
/kənˈsʌmpʃən/
The process of eating, drinking, or ingesting something.
The doctor advised a reduced consumption of salt.
💡 Simply: When you gobble up all your snacks, that's consumption! It’s the act of eating or drinking.
👶 For kids: When you eat your dinner, you are consuming it!
More Examples
Fruit consumption is encouraged for its health benefits.
Increased consumption of caffeine can affect sleep patterns.
How It's Used
"A balanced diet is essential for healthy consumption of nutrients."
"The safe consumption of contaminated food poses a serious health risk."
An old term for tuberculosis, a wasting disease often fatal.
/kənˈsʌmpʃən/
An archaic term for tuberculosis (TB).
The novel depicted the tragic effects of consumption on a young woman.
💡 Simply: Back in the old days, they called tuberculosis 'consumption' because it slowly destroyed people's bodies, kind of like something 'consuming' them.
👶 For kids: A long, long time ago, some people got a bad sickness called consumption that made them very weak and sick.
More Examples
Consumption was a feared disease in the Victorian era.
Many people died from consumption before effective treatments were discovered.
How It's Used
"In the 19th century, consumption was a common and often fatal disease."
"Many literary characters in the 19th century died of consumption."
Idioms & expressions
conspicuous consumption
The spending of money on and the acquiring of luxury goods and services to publicly display economic power—the income or wealth of the buyer, or of the owner.
"The focus on conspicuous consumption in advertising often ignores the values of the working class."
From Middle English consumptioun, from Old French consomption, from Latin consumptio, from consumere ('to consume').
The term 'consumption' was widely used to refer to tuberculosis in the 18th and 19th centuries, reflecting its devastating impact on society.
Memory tip
Think of a fire consuming wood - the act of using up.