subscriber

American  

[suhb-skrahy-ber] / səbˈskraɪ bər /

noun

1. a person, company, etc., that subscribes, as to a publication or concert series.

2. a homeowner, apartment dweller, business, etc., that pays a monthly charge to be connected to a television cable service.

3. a person who promises to donate a sum of money, purchase stock, etc.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsubscriber noun
• presubscriber noun

Etymology

Origin of subscriber

First recorded in 1590–1600; subscribe + -er ¹

Explanation

A subscriber is someone who supports a cause, philosophy, or an actual service, often through paying money. For example, a subscriber to a streaming service may pay a monthly fee to watch the provider's television shows and movies. The word subscriber comes from the Latin roots sub, meaning "under," and scrib, meaning "write." So subscribers can be thought of as those who sign their names at the bottom of a contract — either literally or figuratively. Magazine subscribers literally sign a contract to pay a monthly fee to get the latest issues delivered to them. But subscribers may also just be people who strongly agree with or adopt a philosophy or lifestyle, figuratively "signing on."

Example Sentences

The company no longer reports subscriber numbers, but Wall Street tracks viewership in other ways, including its biannual engagement report External link.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

So this is how we find out Justin Bieber is a YouTube Premium subscriber.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Fury v Makhmudov will headline on Netflix, which has a subscriber base of 325 million.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

The company said it has forecast subscriber revenue growth of 21% on a Generally Accepted Accounting Principles basis and 19% on a non-GAAP basis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Your YouTube subscriber count is at three hundred and sixteen, and growing.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

• donor