Agency Dictionary

Consumer

noun

In Portuguese: Consumidor

What does “Consumer” mean?

An individual or group that acquires, purchases, or consumes physical or commercial goods and services for personal use. In marketing, consumers are studied for purchasing patterns and brand preferences.

Etymology

An agent noun formed in English from consume, which comes from Old French consumer and Latin consumere, "to use up, to eat, to waste", formed from com- (here an intensive) and sumere ("to take"). In late Middle English a consumer was one who squanders or destroys. The economic sense, the person who buys and uses goods as opposed to the producer, dates from the 18th century and became central in the vocabulary of marketing in the 20th.

Synonyms

buyer
customer
purchaser
shopper
user
end user

Often confused with

customer: The customer is the one who buys; the consumer is the one who uses. A parent buying food for a child is the customer, and the child is the consumer.
consummate: To consummate is to complete or bring to perfection, from Latin summa; it is unrelated to consume.

Word family

consume
consumption
consumerism
consumable
consumptive

Rhymes with

rumor
humor
tumor
boomer

Usage examples

If a product is tangible, has packaging, and can be bought in a supermarket, like a can of Coke, then it is made for a consumer.
Design.2 - Demystifying UX/UI Design Pt.1
If a product is tangible, has packaging, and can be bought in a supermarket, like a can of Coke, then it is made for a consumer.

Concepts

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Design.2 - Demystifying UX/UI Design Pt.1June 8, 2023Read the edition

Words of the same theme

recipientnoun: The person who receives something. In communication, the one to whom a message is addressed and who interprets it, as opposed to the sender who composes it.
pain pointnoun: A specific problem, difficulty or frustration that a person experiences when using a product or a service, and that design or marketing sets out to solve.
target audiencenoun: The specific group of people that a message, a product or a campaign is meant to reach, defined by what they have in common, such as needs, habits or interests.
Accuracynoun: The degree of precision, correctness, and exactitude with which a message or action reaches its intended mark.
Bailoutnoun: An emergency provision of financial assistance to a failing company, bank, or economy to prevent insolvency.
brokeragenoun: The business, activity, or fee of a licensed broker who facilitates commercial transactions between buyers and sellers.
Captivatingadjective: Capable of attracting, holding, or enchanting interest and affection through irresistible charm or aesthetic power.
Carouselnoun: A multi-slide social media post format that allows users to swipe through a sequential series of images or cards.
cinnamonnoun: An aromatic spice obtained from the stripped inner bark of several tree species of the genus Cinnamomum.
commoditynoun: A basic primary good, agricultural staple, or raw material that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type.
Copywritingnoun: The professional activity of writing persuasive text and scripts for marketing, branding, and advertising campaigns.

Also from these editions: terms

Buttonnoun: A physical or graphical control element that triggers an immediate action or command when pressed or clicked. In software interfaces, buttons communicate system affordances through visual boundaries and labels.
Astronautnoun: A person trained and equipped to travel and operate beyond the atmosphere of the Earth. In space exploration, astronauts perform scientific experiments and navigate spacecraft under extreme conditions.
Screennoun: A flat physical display surface on an electronic device that projects visual images, interfaces, and text to a viewer. It serves as the primary visual output medium for modern personal computers and mobile phones.
wireframenoun: A skeletal visual guide that outlines the basic structure, hierarchy, and functionality of a user interface.
Tangibleadjective: Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
briefingnoun: A concise set of instructions or background information provided to guide a project or creative assignment.
intangibleadjective: Incapable of being perceived by touch or physical senses, yet possessing recognizable economic or conceptual worth.
Prototypenoun: An early preliminary model of a product from which subsequent forms and manufactured copies are developed and refined.
UX Designnoun: User Experience Design: the discipline focused on the overall experience a person has when interacting with a product, including usability, accessibility, and satisfaction.
Spacesuitnoun: A pressurized protective garment worn by astronauts to survive the harsh vacuum, extreme temperatures, and radiation of outer space. It incorporates life support, thermal insulation, and communications equipment.
Softwarenoun: The complete set of instructions, programs, algorithms, and data that direct a computer hardware system to perform specific tasks. It is intangible, adaptable, and easily updated across network connections.
Layoutnoun: The spatial arrangement and structural distribution of text, images, and visual elements on a printed page or digital screen. It establishes visual order, reading flow, and aesthetic harmony within a composition.