consumptive

[ kuhn-suhmp-tiv ]

adjective

1. tending to consume; destructive; wasteful.
2. relating to consumption by use.
3. Pathology.
   1. relating to or of the nature of consumption.
   2. disposed to or affected with consumption.

noun

1. Older Use. a person with tuberculosis.

consumptive

/ kənˈsʌmptɪv /

adjective

1. causing consumption; wasteful; destructive
2. pathol relating to or affected with consumption, esp tuberculosis of the lungs

noun

1. pathol a person who suffers from consumption

Derived Forms

• conˈsumptiveness, noun
• conˈsumptively, adverb

Other Words From

• con·sump·tive·ly adverb
• con·sump·tive·ness noun
• non·con·sump·tive adjective
• non·con·sump·tive·ly adverb
• non·con·sump·tive·ness noun
• un·con·sump·tive adjective
• un·con·sump·tive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of consumptive¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English adjective and noun consumptif “eliminating or reducing morbid humors or tissue; an agent that eliminates or reduces morbid humors or tissue,” from Medieval Latin consūmptīvum, noun use of adjective consūmptīvus “wasteful, destructive; suffering from pulmonary consumption”; consumption, -ive

Example Sentences

Suddenly, even adult celebrities looked like consumptive children.

From Los Angeles Times

The standout in the cast is the Violetta of Rachel Willis-Sorensen, her silvery and supple soprano making for a more brilliant than affectingly consumptive character.

From Los Angeles Times

"We don't say AI is inherently good or that it is empirically better, just that when we looked at it in these instances, it was less energy consumptive," Torrance said.

From Science Daily

“Although we ought to feel good about our collective effort to retain desperately needed storage, we must remain vigilant to continue the hard work to reduce consumptive use,” Schmidt wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

Jack Schmidt, a professor who leads Utah State University’s Center for Colorado River Studies, recently analyzed reservoir levels and said in a blog post that “the rate of loss this year is much lower” than in all but one of the previous 10 years, “suggesting that current policies of reducing consumptive use may be working.”

From Los Angeles Times