client

[ klahy-uhnt ]

noun

1. a person or group that uses the professional advice or services of a lawyer, accountant, advertising agency, architect, etc.
2. a person who is receiving the benefits, services, etc., of a social welfare agency, a government bureau, etc.
3. a customer.
4. anyone under the patronage of another; a dependent.
5. Computers. a computer or an application on a computer that communicates with a remote server:

   Exit the program before installing the patch to update the client.

6. client state.
7. (in ancient Rome) a plebeian who lived under the patronage of a patrician.

adjective

1. being a regular customer:

   a client company.

2. economically, and often militarily, dependent upon a more prosperous, more powerful nation.

client

/ ˈklaɪənt; klaɪˈɛntəl /

noun

1. a person, company, etc, that seeks the advice of a professional man or woman
2. a customer
3. a person who is registered with or receiving services or financial aid from a welfare agency
4. computing a program or work station that requests data or information from a server
5. a person depending on another's patronage

client

/ klī′ənt /

1. A program that runs on a personal computer or workstation connected to a computer network and requests information from a file server.

Derived Forms

• cliental, adjective

Other Words From

• cli·en·tal [klahy-, en, -tl, klahy, -, uh, n-tl], adjective
• non·client adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of client¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin client-, stem of cliēns “person seeking the protection or influence of someone powerful”; perhaps akin to clīnāre “to bend” ( incline )

Word History and Origins

Origin of client¹

C14: from Latin cliēns retainer, dependant; related to Latin clīnāre to lean

Related Words

• applicant
• buyer
• consumer
• patient
• patron
• shopper