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 of customer

• client
• patron
• guest

Examples of customer in a Sentence

She is one of our best customers.

She's a pretty cool customer.

Recent Examples on the Web

The German company aims to deploy the model across different robot platforms, allowing customers to adapt its capabilities to specific applications. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026

Its top three customers (the third is undisclosed) generate 72% of its revenue in Q2, the company said. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

The zine will be a free gift with purchase for the brand’s first few hundred customers. — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

The customer became irate and yelled at the 16-year-old employee behind the counter, shop owner David Forgit said. — Sydney Page, Washington Post, 15 Oct. 2026

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
• customer service
• 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