consumption

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.

• IPA^(key): /kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/

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• Rhymes: -ʌmpʃən

consumption (usually uncountable, plural consumptions)

1. The act of eating, drinking or using.

   The consumption of snails as food is more common in France than in England.

2. The amount consumed.

   gross national consumption

3. The act of consuming or destroying.

   The fire's consumption of the forest caused ecological changes.

   • 1963 February, “Diesel locomotive faults and their remedies”, in Modern Railways, page 99:

     Driving methods have a direct bearing on fuel consumption with every type of motive power.

4. (pathology) The wasting away of the human body through disease.
6. (pathology, dated) Pulmonary tuberculosis and other diseases that cause wasting away, lung infection, etc.
   • 1763 June 20 (first performance), Samuel Foote, The Mayor of Garret. A Comedy, […], London: […] P[aul] Vaillant, […], published 1764, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 4:

     And then as to your ſcurvys, and gouts, rheumatiſms, conſumptions, coughs and catarrhs, tar-vvater and turpentine vvill make you as ſound as a roach.

7. (euphemistic, dated) Alcoholism as it precipitates a person's death (especially of natural causes).

• consumer