Definition
nounA materialistic attachment to possessions with a heavy use of consumables; a lifestyle based on such tendencies.
nounAn economic theory that increased consumption is beneficial to a nation's economy in the long run.
Sentence Examples
Do the Germans have any other concerns in life apart from consumerism?
Excessive consumerism in some countries affects the natural environment.
Word Origin & History
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
Proto-Indo-European *-yósder.
Proto-Italic *-āzijos
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 *-íďďō
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The fear of corporatism, consumerism, middle-browism and a mass reading public has driven twentieth-century cultural hierarchists."
— 1996, C. Bloom, Cult Fiction: Popular Reading and Pulp Theory, page 113:
"Insatiable consumerism has blinkered our vision and left us unable to distinguish between what we need and what we merely want."
— 2015 June 28, Paul Vallely, “The Pope's Ecological Vow”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 27 Feb 2021:
"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."
— 2024 August 8, Angela Garbes, “Menopause tests and anti-ageing face oils: welcome to midlife consumerism”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 20 Aug 2024:
"“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."
— 2025 September 14, Alexander Nazaryan, quoting D. Andrew Price, “‘Freedom’ Shirt Becomes a Meme and an Instant Commodity”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Sep 2025: