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buyer

American  
[bahy-er] / ˈbaɪ ər /

noun

  1. a person who buys; purchaser.

  2. a purchasing agent, as for a department or chain store.

buyer British  
/ ˈbaɪə /

noun

  1. a person who buys; purchaser; customer

  2. a person employed to buy merchandise, materials, etc, as for a shop or factory

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of buyer

First recorded in 1150–1200, buyer is from the Middle English word beger, bier. See buy, -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Decoupling seller profit from buyer satisfaction impedes economic growth and slows innovation. Buyer surplus stagnates and inflation accelerates.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Buyer reluctance, in turn, has weighed on the stocks.

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025

The market’s growth has also driven a steady increase in the number of buyers willing to invest in credit secondaries, a trend reflected in 2025 WSJ Pro’s Guide to the Secondary Market Buyer Survey.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

Both Blue Note Entertainment President Steven Bensusan and Director of Programming/Talent Buyer Alex Kurland have emphasized that the L.A. location will reflect a local vibe, including in the acts they book.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2025

If the Buyer is behind in making payments, the Seller may: 1.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.