subscriber
Americannoun
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a person, company, etc., that subscribes, as to a publication or concert series.
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a homeowner, apartment dweller, business, etc., that pays a monthly charge to be connected to a television cable service.
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a person who promises to donate a sum of money, purchase stock, etc.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of subscriber
Explanation
A subscriber is someone who supports a cause, philosophy, or an actual service, often through paying money. For example, a subscriber to a streaming service may pay a monthly fee to watch the provider's television shows and movies. The word subscriber comes from the Latin roots sub, meaning "under," and scrib, meaning "write." So subscribers can be thought of as those who sign their names at the bottom of a contract — either literally or figuratively. Magazine subscribers literally sign a contract to pay a monthly fee to get the latest issues delivered to them. But subscribers may also just be people who strongly agree with or adopt a philosophy or lifestyle, figuratively "signing on."
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.
Starlink grew its subscriber base by more than 100% in 2025 to 10.3 million users.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
The company’s plans for long-term business growth, along with announcements of new premium features, comes about a month after Spotify reported first-quarter earnings, where subscriber growth underperformed Wall Street expectations.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
Despite a surge in profits in the first quarter, Spotify’s share price has fallen 25% this year as investors worry about a slowdown in subscriber growth.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026
Anime has become a hot business in Hollywood, with Crunchyroll boosting its subscriber base by nearly 25% to 21 million in the past year.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
For roughly $100 a year he became a subscriber to 10-K Wizard.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
