consumer

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   One who, or that which, consumes.

   But through the oligopoly, charcoal fuel proliferated throughout London's trades and industries. By the 1200s, brewers and bakers, tilemakers, glassblowers, pottery producers, and a range of other craftsmen all became hour-to-hour consumers of charcoal.

2. 2
   noun

   Someone who trades money for goods or services as an individual.

   This new system favours the consumer over the producer.

3. 3
   noun

   The consumer base of a product, service or business.

   Our consumers are upwardly mobile and middle-class.

4. 4
   noun

   a person who uses goods or services

5. 5
   noun

   An organism (heterotroph) that uses other organisms for food in order to gain energy.

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 *nem-? 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 *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English consumer From consume + -er.