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

Theater workers — who, like most service employees, have been wearily dealing with increasing amounts of customer incivility since the pandemic — have been fuming. —Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025

Quality control is highly inconsistent, and customer service can be…frustrating, to put it nicely. —Francesca Krempa, StyleCaster, 10 Apr. 2025

For consumers with questions about the recall, Trophy Nut Company also operates a customer service line at 1-800-729-6887. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025

Korea’s giant beauty conglomerates have millions of customers around the world — one of the biggest, Amore Pacific, recorded $2.87 billion in sales in 2024, and its Americas sales surpassed those in China for the first time in the company’s history. —Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 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