consumption

noun

con·​sump·​tion kən-ˈsəm(p)-shən 

1

a

: the act or process of consuming

consumption of food

consumption of resources

b

: use by or exposure to a particular group or audience

The document was not intended for public consumption.

2

: use of something

the jet's high consumption of fuel

the consumption of electricity

3

a

: tuberculosis

b

: a progressive wasting away of the body especially from pulmonary tuberculosis

Examples of consumption in a Sentence

The jet's high fuel consumption makes it expensive to operate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Of course, these conditions are fairly rare, and as a result, geothermal currently supplies only around 0.3% of global energy consumption. —New Atlas, 23 Feb. 2025

Developments in this area often focus on the reduction of energy consumption of data centers and computing devices, contributing to more sustainable technology infrastructures. —Ashish Sukhadeve, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

View Comments For Joyner, there is a pressing and personal stake in getting more climate-normalizing stories out there for mass consumption. —Dan Heching, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025

Raw milk is a drink that remains unregulated at the federal level, with individual states left to decide whether it's deemed safe for human consumption. —Peter Burke, Fox News, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English consumpcioun, from Latin consumption-, consumptio, from consumere — see consume

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing consumption

• conspicuous consumption

Kids Definition

consumption

noun

con·​sump·​tion kən-ˈsəm(p)-shən 

1

a

: the act or process of consuming

b

: the amount consumed

2

a

: a gradual and continuous wasting away of the body especially from tuberculosis of the lungs

b

: tuberculosis

Medical Definition

consumption

noun

con·​sump·​tion kən-ˈsəm(p)-shən 

1

: a progressive wasting away of the body especially from pulmonary tuberculosis

2

: tuberculosis