- consumption
- 1390s, from O.Fr. consomption, from L. consumptionem (nom. consumptio) "a using up, wasting," from consumptus, pp. of consumere (see consume). Earliest sense in Eng. was of wasting disease, in which it replaced O.E. yfeladl "the evil disease." Meaning "the using up of material" is c.1535.