client

American  

[klahy-uhnt] / ˈklaɪ ənt /

noun

• clients
  plural

1. a person or group that uses the professional advice or services of a lawyer, accountant, advertising agency, architect, etc.

2. a person who is receiving the benefits, services, etc., of a social welfare agency, a government bureau, etc.

3. a customer.

4. anyone under the patronage of another; a dependent.

5. Computers. a computer or an application on a computer that communicates with a remote server.

   Exit the program before installing the patch to update the client.

6. client state.

7. (in ancient Rome) a plebeian who lived under the patronage of a patrician.

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adjective

1. being a regular customer.

   a client company.

2. economically, and often militarily, dependent upon a more prosperous, more powerful nation.

client British  

/ ˈklaɪənt, klaɪˈɛntəl /

noun

1. a person, company, etc, that seeks the advice of a professional man or woman

2. a customer

3. a person who is registered with or receiving services or financial aid from a welfare agency

4. computing a program or work station that requests data or information from a server

5. a person depending on another's patronage

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client Scientific  

/ klī′ənt /

1. A program that runs on a personal computer or workstation connected to a computer network and requests information from a file server.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cliental
  adjective
• nonclient
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• clients
  plural

Etymology

Origin of client

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin client-, stem of cliēns “person seeking the protection or influence of someone powerful”; perhaps akin to clīnāre “to bend” ( see incline)

Explanation

If you pay for something, you are a client. If you pay to get your dog groomed, you are a client of the dog groomer (and so is your pooch). If you shop at a certain store or use the services of a particular business, then you are a client of that store or business. If you want to go into acting, for example, you'll need to become a client of a talent agent. In computer terms, a client is a computer that makes a request of another computer, called a server. The term client is especially used in networks where one server may handle multiple requests from multiple clients.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

client clients

"I want this case to end so that my client knows her judicial fate," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

Defense attorney Errol Cook urged jurors to acquit his client of murder.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

“Listing all the reasons they shouldn’t do it and imposing ‘This is what you should do’ can make the client feel judged,” Taylor said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

In February, Khan's lawyer said his client had 15% vision left in his right eye after prison authorities failed to take action - an allegation the government disputed.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

He buys a different shield for his client in Vinci.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

That offhand vision has since expanded into Canyon View Ranch, a five-acre luxury retreat tucked into the hills of Topanga that its clients refer to as Disneyland for canines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

These packages, which often run into thousands of dollars, attract many celebrities and corporate buyers who see the Games as a chance to butter up clients or reward top performers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Employee utilization of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss grew 75% in 2025 across Aon’s clients, the firm said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Most clients mispronounced his name—and thus his company’s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

It was a morning in mid-October, and yet no clients were waiting.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• applicant
• buyer
• consumer
• patient
• patron
• shopper