consummation
UK[ˌkɒnsəˈmeɪʃn]US[ˌkɑːnsəˈmeɪʃn]
n
The point at which something is completed or finalized.
n
The act of making a marriage or relationship complete by having sexual intercourse.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
sum
ation
con
together
sum
take
ation
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'consummation' originates from the Latin verb consummare, meaning "to sum up, to finish, to complete." This verb itself is a compound of the prefix con- ("altogether") and summa ("sum, total"), derived from summus ("highest"). The core logic is of bringing things together to a final, total, or highest point. Over time, this literal sense of "bringing to completion" evolved into its two primary modern abstract meanings: the final achievement of a goal or process, and the act that completes a marriage, reflecting the concept of a process reaching its ultimate and definitive state.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + sum (take) + ation (noun suffix)
- con: A Latin prefix meaning "together, with."
- sum: A root from the Latin verb sumere, meaning "to take, to use up."
- ation: A noun-forming suffix of Latin origin, indicating an action or its result.
Examples
The signing of the treaty was the consummation of years of difficult negotiation.
In many traditions, a marriage is considered sealed upon its consummation.
The brilliant finale was the perfect consummation of the symphony.