consumable

C3O1N1S1U1M3A1B3L1E1
/kənˈsjuːməbəl//kənˈsuːməbəl/

adjective

That is consumed or depleted upon use.

“printer consumables such as toner and ink cartridges”

Similar
Less commonScrabble 16

Meanings

adjectiveconsumable (comparative more consumable, superlative most consumable)

comparative more consumable · superlative most consumable

  1. That is consumed or depleted upon use.

    Atwood's Edible Woman offers a brilliant analysis of woman as consumable in consumer capitalism: when Marian turns out in a tarty hairdo and red dress...

    1991, Gayle Greene, Changing the Story: Feminist Fiction and the Tradition
  2. That may be eaten.
nounconsumable (plural consumables)

plural consumables

  1. A material or product that is produced for consumption.

    printer consumables such as toner and ink cartridges

    2 more examples

    The drillhead produces the drilling rotation and torque but also must slide out of position to allow the machine to manipulate the finisher drill steel and consumables.

    2006, Department of Mining Engineering, Proceedings: 35th International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, volume 25, West Virginia University, page 162

    It is normal for any organization to have two types of expense items, stockable and non-stockable. The stockable expense items – factory consumables etc – are booked into a subinventory and can be accrued on receipt.

    2012, John Priestley, Oracle e-Business Consultancy Handbook, →ISBN, page 138

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivemay be used up

Similar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincon-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  7. Proto-Italic*supo
  8. Latinsub
  9. Latinsub-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*h₁em-
  11. Proto-Indo-European*h₁émeti
  12. Proto-Italic*emō
  13. Latinemō
  14. Latinsūmō
  15. Latincōnsūmō
  16. Old Frenchconsumer
  17. Middle Englishconsumen
  18. Englishconsume
  19. Englishconsumable

From consume + -able.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish kuluva, kulutus-
  • kuluvathat is consumed
  • kulutus-that is consumed
  • syötäväthat may be eaten
  • syömäkelpoinenthat may be eaten
  • ruoka-that may be eaten
  • kulutustavaramaterial or product intended for consumption
  • kulutushyödykematerial or product intended for consumption
French consommable
  • consommablematerial or product intended for consumption
German konsumierbar, Verbrauchsgut
  • konsumierbarthat is consumed
  • Verbrauchsgutmaterial or product intended for consumption
  • Konsumgutmaterial or product intended for consumption
  • Verbrauchsmaterialmaterial or product intended for consumption
Greek αναλώσιμος
  • αναλώσιμος (analósimos)that is consumed
Irish inite
  • initethat may be eaten
Romanian consumabil, comestibil
  • consumabilthat is consumed
  • comestibilthat may be eaten
  • mâncabilthat may be eaten
  • consumabilmaterial or product intended for consumption
Russian расходник, расходный материал
  • расходник (rasxodnik)material or product intended for consumption
  • расходный материалmaterial or product intended for consumption
Spanish consumible, comestible
  • consumiblethat is consumed
  • comestiblethat may be eaten
  • consumiblematerial or product intended for consumption
Swedish förbrukningsbar, förbruknings-
  • förbrukningsbarthat is consumed
  • förbruknings-that is consumed
  • ätbarthat may be eaten
  • förbrukningsvaramaterial or product intended for consumption
  • konsumtionsvaramaterial or product intended for consumption
Cite this entry
APA

consumable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/consumable

MLA

“consumable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/consumable. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “consumable,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/consumable.

Source: consumable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.