Phrase guide

conspicuous consumption

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A public display of acquisition of possessions with the intention of gaining social prestige; excessive consumerism in order to flaunt one's purchasing power.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

buying expensive services and products in order to flaunt your wealth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: consumption, economic consumption, usance, use, use of goods and services

History

Etymology

Coined by American economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen in 1899.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: consum ostentós — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • Chinese Mandarin: 炫耀性消費 /炫耀性消费 (xuànyàoxìng xiāofèi) — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • Finnish: kerskakulutus — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • French: consommation ostentatoire — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • German: Geltungskonsum — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • German: Prestigekonsum — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • German: Repräsentationskonsum — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • Hungarian: hivalkodó fogyasztás — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • Italian: consumo ostentativo — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • Italian: consumo vistoso — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • Portuguese: consumo conspícuo — public display of acquisition of possessions
  • Russian: демонстрати́вное потребле́ние (demonstratívnoje potreblénije) — public display of acquisition of possessions