customer

American  

[kuhs-tuh-mer] / ˈkʌs tə mər /

noun

1. a person who purchases goods or services from another; buyer; patron.

2. Informal. a person one has to deal with.

   a tough customer; a cool customer.

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customer British  

/ ˈkʌstəmə /

noun

1. a person who buys

2. informal a person with whom one has dealings

   a cool customer

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customer Idioms  

1. see ugly customer.

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Etymology

Origin of customer

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; custom + -er ¹; compare Middle English customer “collector of customs,” from Anglo-French; Old French costumier, cognate with Medieval Latin custumārius; customary

Example Sentences

Some local governments are offering subsidies to buyers, paying around 10% of the price of humanoid robots to lower the bar for customers to try them.

From The Wall Street Journal

It added that all affected customers had contents protection in place, with two claims already settled and payments issued within 48 hours, while others were being reviewed.

From BBC

Two of the people who were killed in Thursday’s crash were employees of 99 Ranch Market and the third was a customer, ABC 7 reported.

From Los Angeles Times

A flowering of new options could give software customers leverage in contract renewal negotiations, said Mark Smith, partner at technology research and IT advisory firm ISG.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Student Loans Company advises customers to speak to a financial adviser if they are unsure whether they should make extra repayments or not.

From BBC

Related Words

• client
• consumer
• patron
• purchaser