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consumer price index

consumer price index

8 3.9
An official measure of how prices people pay for goods and services change over time
  • noun
  • /kənˈsjuːmər praɪs ˈɪndɛks/
  • Specialized
translation icon : índice de precios al consumidor
  • During the same period, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose by 2.1 percent.
  • change in the consumer price index
  • percentage change in consumer price index

Look, Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that the consumer price index is based on a cost of living measure.

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Examples

  • The Department of Labor shows this graph of changes in the Consumer Price Index for Energy.

    Blog text (16)
  • Prices were similarly set but included an adjustment based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Currently, Social Security benefits are adjusted by the Consumer Price Index for workers.

    Blog text (23)
  • On inflation: Between 1992 and 2007, the Consumer Price Index never increased more than 3 percent in any calendar year.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Nonetheless, the September consumer price index showed inflation at a modest 2 percent per year.

    Blog text (22)
  • Similar items are covered through the consumer price index for rural laborers in the agricultural sector.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Between 1990/91 and 1994/95, the consumer price index for agricultural laborers increased by 53.1 percent.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The Labor Department reported that the consumer price index rose 0.3 percent in June, indicating inflation trends.

  • During the last quarter, the consumer price index showed a significant increase, reflecting higher living costs.

  • Experts analyze the consumer price index to understand how price changes affect everyday consumers.

Synonyms

CPI
vsconsumer price index
  • Specialized
30 4.2

A measure of how prices people pay change over time

is the full official name rather than the short label
price index
vsconsumer price index
  • Specialized
15 3.2

A number that shows how prices of goods and services change over time

focuses on changes in what buyers pay for everyday goods and services
cost-of-living index
vsconsumer price index
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A number showing how much money a typical household needs for basic goods and services

tracks average changes in amounts people pay, not cost to maintain living level
retail price index
vsconsumer price index
  • UK
5.0

An official measure of how consumer prices change over time

has the same meaning but uses a different official title

Surface Forms

Morphology

consumer + price + index

The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: an 'index' (numeric indicator) of 'price' (costs) paid by 'consumers' (buyers). This straightforward noun-noun composition is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the parts can infer the general meaning even if they lack technical detail.

Etymology

The term consumer price index comes from the idea of a common 'basket' of everyday items that people buy, and the buyers are called consumers. People add the price of that basket and make one number, the index, to show how prices 'change' over time, so the phrase means the official number that tracks consumer prices.