customer

noun

cus·​tom·​er ˈkə-stə-mər 

1

: one that purchases a commodity or service

The customer used a credit card for the purchase.

2

: an individual usually having some specified distinctive trait

a real tough customer

… let me give you the advice of an old and world-weary customer.

—Flannery O'Connor

Synonyms

• account
• client
• guest
• patron
• punter [chiefly British]

Examples of customer in a Sentence

She is one of our best customers.

She's a pretty cool customer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Consider The Overall Amount Of Change Does the deal require new products, routes to market, org capability or target customers? —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

The business traces its origins to a junkyard and coal delivery business in Colerain Township that later added a hog farm after a Depression-era customer paid him with six pigs. —Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024

This wand offers seven different color options for rejuvenation and customers have been floored by the fast results. —Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024

The companies also listed a slew of customers using Anthropic models in conjunction with AWS, including the PGA Tour, Perplexity, T-Mobile, and many others. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English custumer, from custume — see custom entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing customer

• cool customer
• customer base
• paying customer
• regular customer

Kids Definition

customer

noun

cus·​tom·​er ˈkəs-tə-mər 

1

: one that buys a product or service

2

: individual entry 2 sense 2, fellow

he's a real tough customer

Legal Definition

customer

noun

cus·​to·​mer

1

: a person or business that purchases a commodity or service

2

a

: a person or entity having an account with a bank or on whose behalf the bank has agreed to collect items

b

: a person or entity for whom an issuer issues a letter of credit