subscriber

American  

[suhb-skrahy-ber] / səbˈskraɪ bər /

noun

subscribers plural

1. a person, company, etc., that subscribes, as to a publication or concert series.

2. a homeowner, apartment dweller, business, etc., that pays a monthly charge to be connected to a television cable service.

3. a person who promises to donate a sum of money, purchase stock, etc.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsubscriber
  noun
• presubscriber
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• subscribers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of subscriber

First recorded in 1590–1600; subscribe + -er ¹

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

The company has struggled with heavy debt and subscriber losses, and faces a battle with federal regulators.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

Flod, a subscriber, acknowledged he was Pinky’s creator.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026

Medicare Advantage costs the government more per subscriber than traditional Medicare.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 15, 2026

Less compelling bear arguments start by nitpicking things such as Starlink’s average revenue per subscriber, which is falling.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Your YouTube subscriber count is at three hundred and sixteen, and growing.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

• donor