customer

noun

cus·​tom·​er ˈkə-stə-mər 

1

: one that purchases a commodity or service

The customer used a credit card for the purchase.

2

: an individual usually having some specified distinctive trait

a real tough customer

… let me give you the advice of an old and world-weary customer.

—Flannery O'Connor

Synonyms

• account
• client
• guest
• patron
• punter [chiefly British]

Examples of customer in a Sentence

She is one of our best customers.

She's a pretty cool customer.

Recent Examples on the Web

LeBron James and Doja Cat get laughs, but the real fun, as intended, is in the supercuts of actual Taco Bell customers (many of them photographed, apparently, at the drive-thru) that flash on the screen. —Rob Ledonne, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2025

When people start leaving a monetary unit at the cash register for the next customer, the unit is too small to be useful. —Chad De Guzman, TIME, 10 Feb. 2025

And in the tearoom, customers sipped homemade soups and nibbled fresh sandwiches and salads. —Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 9 Feb. 2025

For customers, especially families, each store offers a wide variety of options where, for example, one person can order pad thai and another a burger. —Phoebe Liu, Forbes, 8 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English custumer, from custume — see custom entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing customer

• cool customer
• customer base
• paying customer
• regular customer

Kids Definition

customer

noun

cus·​tom·​er ˈkəs-tə-mər 

1

: one that buys a product or service

2

: individual entry 2 sense 2, fellow

he's a real tough customer

Legal Definition

customer

noun

cus·​to·​mer

1

: a person or business that purchases a commodity or service

2

a

: a person or entity having an account with a bank or on whose behalf the bank has agreed to collect items

b

: a person or entity for whom an issuer issues a letter of credit