customer

[ kuhs-tuh-mer ]

noun

1. a person who purchases goods or services from another; buyer; patron.
2. Informal. a person one has to deal with:

   a tough customer; a cool customer.

customer

/ ˈkʌstəmə /

noun

1. a person who buys
2. informal.
   a person with whom one has dealings

   a cool customer

Word History and Origins

Origin of customer¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; custom + -er ¹; compare Middle English customer “collector of customs,” from Anglo-French; Old French costumier, cognate with Medieval Latin custumārius; customary

Idioms and Phrases

see ugly customer .

Example Sentences

A Tropicana spokesperson told CNN that "the company changed the bottle to address feedback from customers, including making it easier to pour and store while reducing plastic in the cap."

From Salon

“At FOB Sushi, we are committed to upholding the highest health and safety standards to provide clean, fresh, and safe food for every customer,” the statement continued.

From Salon

However, even a brief outage was enough to cause problems for customers, who reported being unable to log in to their accounts or said they were having problems making payments.

From BBC

“These types of movies ... remind customers of how special the moviegoing experience is.”

From Los Angeles Times

In the first six months of the year, an additional 4 million customer homes dropped pay-TV, according to a recent MoffettNathanson report.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• client
• consumer
• patron
• purchaser