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

• account
• client
• guest
• patron
• punter [chiefly British]

Examples of customer in a Sentence

She is one of our best customers.

She's a pretty cool customer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Last September, hackers breached Optus, exposing personal customer details in what some described as the worst data breach in the company’s history. —Lionel Lim, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023

Although open to all EVs, Mercedes customers will get priority at its hubs via the company’s me Charge app. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2023

Employees who answered the phone were told to continue promoting the products until the customer asked them to cancel three times. —Marley Jay, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2023

Happy Tip #7: Track and analyze customer satisfaction. —Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2023

For companies like Swell and Sunrun, one of the biggest costs is customer acquisition. —Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023

Hotline representatives would only cancel the products after a customer had asked three times, while also requiring them to submit cancellation requests in writing, according to regulators. —Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2023

In those cases, the company requires users to check a box to see a full price for shows, with the option hidden behind a menu where customers may not think to look. —Tony Romm, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023

More than 3,300 customers have given the rug a five-star rating. —Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 19 Nov. 2023

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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

• customer base
• cool customer
• regular customer
• paying customer

• customer base
• cool customer
• regular customer
• paying 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