consumerism
/kənˈsumərɪzm̩/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.98 in modern English
17
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
5
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A materialistic attachment to possessions with a heavy use of consumables; a lifestyle based on such tendencies.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
An economic theory that increased consumption is beneficial to a nation's economy in the long run.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A policy or social movement of protecting and informing consumers through honesty in advertising and packaging, as well as improved safety standards, among other measures.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "The fear of corporatism, consumerism, middle-browism and a mass reading public has driven twentieth-century cultural hierarchists."
- "Insatiable consumerism has blinkered our vision and left us unable to distinguish between what we need and what we merely want."
- "It’s easy to say, as I often do, that it’s capitalism at work. Yet I am actively involved in consumerism, triggered by my insecurities."
- "“It’s where cultural identity and cheap viral consumerism intersect,” D. Andrew Price, head of content at Memes Media Group, said of how Mr. Kirk’s T-shirt has proliferated in recent days."
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- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₁émeti Proto-Italic *emō Latin emō Latin sūmō Latin cōnsūmōder. Old French consumerbor. Middle English consumen English consume Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English consumer Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English consumerism From consumer + -ism.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /kənˈsumərɪzm̩/
- British English: /kənˈsjumərɪzm̩/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
Frequently Paired Words
anticonsumption
conspicuous consumption
consumerist
consumerization
consumerize
commercialism
throwaway society