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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Subscriber growth at bigger Hollywood streaming services has largely plateaued in the past year, and some have stopped disclosing numbers.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Subscriber value per customer, meanwhile, declined to $52,446 in the third quarter from $53,891 in the second quarter.
From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025
Subscriber growth also accelerated thanks to promotional discounts and users' willingness to pay for premium features such as sound quality.
From Reuters • Aug. 15, 2023
Subscriber losses from India accelerated in the third quarter, thanks to Disney no longer having the rights to stream Indian Premier League cricket matches.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 9, 2023
Price, One Dollar annually, in advance, or on becoming a Subscriber, or One Dollar and Fifty cents, if payment is delayed after the receipt of the sixth Number.
From The National Preacher, Vol. 2. No. 6., Nov. 1827 Or Original Monthly Sermons from Living Ministers by Dickinson, Austin
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.
