consume

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To use up.
To eat.
To completely occupy the thoughts or attention of.
To destroy completely.
To waste away slowly.
To trade money for good or services as an individual.
To absorb information, especially through the mass media.

Pronunciation

/kənˈsjuːm/ en-uk-consume.ogg /kənˈʃuːm/ kən-so͞om /kənˈsum/ en-us-consume.ogg /kənˈsjʉːm/ /kənˈzjum/ /kənˈs(j)uːm/ [kənˈs(j)ʉːm] /kənˈsɪʊm/

Word forms

consume consumes consuming consumed

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *upó Proto-Italic *supo Latin sub Latin sub- Proto-Indo-European *h₁em-der. Proto-Italic *emō Latin emō Latin sūmō Latin cōnsūmōder. Old French consumerbor. Middle English consumen English consume From Middle English consumen, from Old French consumer, from Latin cōnsūmere, cōnsūmō, from con- (“with, together”) + sūmō (“take; consume”), from sub- + emō (“to buy, take”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- (“to take, distribute”), possibly related to the root *nem- (“to take or give one's due”).

Synonyms

burn use use up expend devour eat swallow occupy overcome take over annihilate destroy devastate eliminate obliterate raze wipe out

Related words

consumption consumptive

Derived words

all-consuming consoomer consumable consumation consumeless consumer misconsume overconsume preconsume reconsume unconsumable underconsume

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