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

Other banks might view such loans as risky, but Erebor has said its understanding of its customers’ businesses will let it more accurately gauge their risks—and offer more attractive loan terms.

From The Wall Street Journal

The words are thought to reference the "three Ds of insurance" - tactics used by companies to reject payment claims from customers.

From BBC

Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers have a duty to make "a reasonable adjustment" to accommodate the needs of disabled people and not to treat them less favourably than other customers.

From BBC

They noted that the the Affirm Card “also serves as an important vehicle to push 0% APR loans,” another product that is seeing increased popularity with Affirm’s customers.

From Barron's

Elsewhere in the book he describes an airline employee who deliberately sent a rude customer’s luggage to Nairobi even though the passenger was headed to Los Angeles.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• client
• consumer
• patron
• purchaser