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

The gastropub also featured a rooftop patio and bar that offered customers an expansive view of Baxter Village. —Michael Burgess, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2024

It is meant to be a friend to the customer service or the customer care team. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 13, 2024, and owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 for more information. —Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024

Tickets are already available for Cash App Card customers starting today, and the general on-sale begins Friday, April 19 on the Live Nation website at 10 a.m. local time. —Heran Mamo, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2024

With additional products having been added to the Splash Place Swim Goggles lineup, including snorkels, towels, and bags, the steep uptick in demand almost immediately after their Shark Tank debut have left Carson and Walker primarily focused on fulfilling the rush of customer orders. —Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 17 Apr. 2024

The convenience store is giving customers a free cup of coffee to celebrate Wawa’s 60th anniversary. —Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024

Most notably, Verizon was a launch partner for Disney+, giving many of its customers one free year of the service, and helping Disney+ gain substantial market share early on. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2024

With the nation’s consumers continuing to spend, many employers have kept hiring to meet steady customer demand. —Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024

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