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Definition of consumer

consumer

/kənˈsuːmər/
con · sum · er
Plural:consumers
•
Adjective:consumerist
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consumer Lexical Profile

consumer Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A person who purchases and uses goods and services for personal needs rather than for resale or manufacturing.

Example

"Rising inflation has forced the average consumer to spend less on non-essential luxury items."

2

A heterotrophic organism that obtains energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms or organic matter rather than producing its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Example

"In a woodland ecosystem, deer act as primary consumers by grazing on leaves and shrubs."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for consumer
Antonyms
View all antonyms for consumer

Word Nuance & Usage

While 'customer' refers to the person who purchases a product or service, 'consumer' refers to the ultimate end-user who actually uses or consumes it (for example, a parent buying baby food is the customer, whereas the infant is the consumer).

• Rhymes for consumer

• Nearby Words

consulting
consumable
consume
consumer
consumerism
consumerist
consumeristic

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the late 14th century from Anglo-French 'consumour' or directly from the verb 'consume', which derives from Latin 'consumere' ('to use up, eat, waste'), formed from 'con-' ('altogether') and 'sumere' ('to take up').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Consumer. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/consumer
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