Dictionary

customer en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈkʌs.tə.mə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈkɐs.tə.mə/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• /ˈkʌs.tə.mɚ/ GA.CA

Etymology

From Middle English custumer, from Old French coustumier, costumier (compare modern French coutumier), from Medieval Latin custumarius (“a toll-gatherer, tax-collector”, noun), from custumarius (“pertaining to custom or customs”, adjective), from custuma (“custom, tax”). More at custom. By surface analysis, custom + -er.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) A habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client; a person or company who has a custom of buying from a particular business.
2. A person or company who purchases or receives a product or service from a business or merchant or intends to do so.
   • Every person who passes by is a potential customer.
   • Airlines are the chief customers of the commercial divisions of large-aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer.
3. (informal) A person, especially one engaging in some sort of interaction with others.
   • a cool customer, a tough customer, an ugly customer
   • This switch led to Philip Hammond becoming the Transport Secretary and he quickly proved to be a tricky customer, asking questions about rail spending and reining it back whenever possible. 2020 January 2, Philip Haigh, “Ten eventful years and plenty of talking points”, in Rail, page 54:
   • Pug could just see Slote's pale face under his fur hat. "I don't agree with you on that. He's a pretty tough customer, Hopkins." 1971, Herman Wouk, chapter 52, in The Winds of War:
4. (India, historical) A native official who exacted customs duties.
   • The Customer should come and visit them. 1615, Sir T. Roe, Hak. Soc. i. 44:
   • The several affronts, insolences, and abuses dayly put upon us by Boolchund, our chief Customer 1682, Hedges, Diary [Hak. Soc. i. 33]
   • His houses […] are seized on by the Customer. 1609, Danvers, Letters, i. 25; and comp. Foster, ibid. ii. 225

Forms

Deriveds

customer service · customer success manager · customer-oriented · customer-to-customer · customer resistance · customerlike · customerize · customer support · entrepreneurial customer · customercentric · pure customer · customerless · customership · customer base · customer relationship · custie · customer research · customer account · customer site · noncustomer · customer success · promote to customer · investomer · customer experience · multicustomer · the customer is always right · ugly customer · customer car · customer care

Relateds

customize · customs · custom · consuetude · costume · customary · customization · costumal

Synonyms

client · patron · solicitor

Translations (183)

it avventore ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · mi apataki (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sk zákazník (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ko 고객님 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ky клиент (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · is kaupandi (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · fi asiakas (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · de Kunde (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · el πελάτης (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · dsb kupowaŕ (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · th ลูกค้า (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bg постоянен посетител (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · pt freguês (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mfe kliyan (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · he לקוחה (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mk муштерика (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · hy հաճախորդ (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bg купува́ч (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · lv kliente (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ko 손 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh ку́пац (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mk клие́нт (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ru клие́нт (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · rcf kliyan (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · fo kundi (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · lv klients (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · be зака́зчык (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · es casero ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · oc client (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · km អតិថិជន (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ga custaiméir (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · hu vendég (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · hu vevő (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · de Kundin (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ota مشتری (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mk купувачка (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · se beställare (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · tk müşderi (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ja お客さん (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · gl cliente (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · is kúnni (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ru зака́зчик (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh klijènt (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · kk клиент (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · vi khách hàng (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · eu bezero (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · hi ग्राहक (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · nb kunde (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · fr chalande ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · ur گِراہَک (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mn үйлчлүүлэгч (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh клијѐнтица (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bg клие́нт (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bg купува́чка (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · grc ὠνητής (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · pl klientka (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · he לָקוֹחַ (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ka კლიენტი (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · lad mushteri (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · tg муштарӣ (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · lt klientė (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ru покупа́тельница (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · es marchante ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · eo kliento (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · la ēmptor (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · uk замо́вник (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · de Stammkunde ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · de Abnehmerin (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · uz mushtariy (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · id pelanggan (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · is viðskiptavinur (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · uk кліє́нт (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · uk покупе́ць (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ru зака́зчица (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ht kliyan (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · cs klientka (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · dsb kupowarka (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · yi קליענט (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · pt cliente (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · my ဖောက်သည် (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ro client (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ro clientă (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ja 得意先 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bn খরিদ্দার (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · tr alıcı (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh kupovac (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ar عَمِيل (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sk klient (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ta வாடிக்கையாளர் ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · fr client (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · es parroquiano ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · da kunde (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · rsk купец (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh клијѐнт (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · es vecero ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · uk замо́вниця (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mk муштерија (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ta வாடிக்கைக்காரன் ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · fr cliente (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · fr chaland ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · ar زَبُون (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · my ဈေးဝယ် (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · io kliento (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · nl klant (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ms pelanggan (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · my ဝယ်သူ (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh муштѐрија (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · cmn 主顧 /主顾 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · cs zákazník (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mk клие́нтка (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · et klient (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · el πελάτισσα (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ur مُشْتَری (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · cy cwsmer (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mk купувач (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · dsb kupc (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · yue 顧客 /顾客 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · be зака́зчыца (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · hi मुश्तरी (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · se kund (sv) (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ko 고객 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · lt klientas (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · prs مُشْتَرِی (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · cs zákaznice (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh muštèrija (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ko 객 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · it cliente (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sl odjemalka (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ko 손님 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · uz mijoz (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sk zákazníčka (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ru покупа́тель (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · hu ügyfél (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · cs klient (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · el θαμώνας (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ota آلیجی (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh klijèntica (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bg мющери́йка (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sk klientka (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bho गहकी (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · de Abnehmer (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · yue 主顧 /主顾 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · fa-ira مُشْتَری (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · be кліе́нтка (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bg мющери́я (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · enm custumer ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · sh kúpac (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · it avventrice ((obsolete) habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client) · ru клие́нтка (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sw mteja (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ro mușteriu (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · hu kuncsaft (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · mi kiritaki (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · is skiptavinur (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · pl klient (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · hu látogató (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sl odjemalec (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · uk кліє́нтка (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · es comensal (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · cmn 顧客 /顾客 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · pt freguesa (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · es cliente (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ta வாடிக்கையாளர் (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ka მყიდველი (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ps مشتري (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · gl seareiro (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ja 客 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ja 顧客 (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · se uppdragsgivare (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · be кліе́нт (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sh куповац (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · bg клие́нтка (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · rsk муштерия (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · es vecero (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · az müştəri (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · de Käufer (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · ca client (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · de Käuferin (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · tg мизоҷ (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · sq klient (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · rsk трошитель (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · tr müşteri (one who purchases or receives a product or service) · lo ລູກຄ້າ (one who purchases or receives a product or service)