Meanings
- uncountableA public display of acquisition of possessions with the intention of gaining social prestige; excessive consumerism in order to flaunt one's purchasing power.
"Conspicuous consumption" is a proof of economic success.
1907 June, Alvin S. Johnson, “Influences Affecting the Development of Thrift”, in Political Science Quarterly, volume 22, number 2, page 2384 more examples
Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure.
1899, Thorstein Veblen, chapter 4, in The Theory of the Leisure Class […] , New York: Macmillan, →OCLCProfessional humanists . . . resent Veblen's saying that knowing an ancient language is conspicuous consumption and conspicuous waste, like growing your fingernails long and painting them, or keeping a Pekingese.
1952 Nov, Paul Mackendrick, “Education for the Art of Living”, in The Journal of Higher Education, volume 23, number 8, page 423As a society becomes richer, those whose incomes do not grow spend more on conspicuous consumption in an attempt to keep up.
2004 Sep, Ed Hopkins, Tatiana Kornienko, “Running to Keep in the Same Place: Consumer Choice as a Game of Status”, in The American Economic Review, volume 94, number 4, page 1086Greek artist Akylas' song "Ferto," or "Bring It," provides a playful take on conspicuous consumption in a country still scarred by the economic wounds of the 2008 financial crisis.
2026 May 16, The Associated Press, “The Eurovision Song Contest reaches its grand final with pop and protests”, in National Public Radio, Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio
Origin
Coined by American economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen in 1899.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan consum ostentós
- consum ostentóspublic display of acquisition of possessions
Chinese Mandarin 炫耀性消費 /炫耀性消费
- 炫耀性消費 /炫耀性消费 (xuànyàoxìng xiāofèi)public display of acquisition of possessions
Finnish kerskakulutus
- kerskakulutuspublic display of acquisition of possessions
French consommation ostentatoire
- consommation ostentatoirepublic display of acquisition of possessions
German Geltungskonsum, Prestigekonsum
- Geltungskonsumpublic display of acquisition of possessions
- Prestigekonsumpublic display of acquisition of possessions
- Repräsentationskonsumpublic display of acquisition of possessions
Hungarian hivalkodó fogyasztás
- hivalkodó fogyasztáspublic display of acquisition of possessions
Italian consumo ostentativo, consumo vistoso
- consumo ostentativopublic display of acquisition of possessions
- consumo vistosopublic display of acquisition of possessions
Polish ostentacyjna konsumpcja
- ostentacyjna konsumpcjapublic display of acquisition of possessions
Portuguese consumo conspícuo
- consumo conspícuopublic display of acquisition of possessions
Russian демонстрати́вное потребле́ние
- демонстрати́вное потребле́ние (demonstratívnoje potreblénije)public display of acquisition of possessions
Turkish gösterişçi tüketim
- gösterişçi tüketimpublic display of acquisition of possessions
Cite this entry
conspicuous consumption. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conspicuous%20consumption
“conspicuous consumption.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conspicuous%20consumption. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “conspicuous consumption,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/conspicuous%20consumption.
Source: conspicuous consumption on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.