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

• 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

Within a few years, the company was renamed to the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company, with Maxwell House Coffee — named after its first major customer, downtown Nashville’s Maxwell House Hotel — as its central brand. —Laura L. Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025

Like some other customers, Micah Fannin was checking out Dutch Bros for the first time. —Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025

Jaguar Land Rover fans aren’t likely to be pushed into shopping the company’s competitors after a crippling cyberattack last month, but customers looking for replacement parts for their upscale rides might get squeezed in the coming months. —Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025

According to Martins, being diversified helps buttress the company against macro headwinds, and the various business units of JHSF share many of the same customers. —David Moin, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2025

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