Diderot effect

noun

A phenomenon in which acquiring a new possession leads to a spiral of consumption that results in the acquisition of even more possessions.

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Meanings

nounDiderot effect (plural Diderot effects)

plural Diderot effects

  1. A phenomenon in which acquiring a new possession leads to a spiral of consumption that results in the acquisition of even more possessions.

Origin

Named after French philosopher Denis Diderot who first described the effect in 1769.

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Cite this entry
APA

Diderot effect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Diderot%20effect

MLA

“Diderot effect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Diderot%20effect. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Diderot effect,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Diderot%20effect.

Source: Diderot effect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.