noun
customer
KUHS-tuh-muh
noun
1
A person or business that buys goods or services from a seller.
"The store thanked its loyal customers with a discount."
"She's been a customer of this bakery for years."
2
Informal: a person, typically described with an adjective indicating their character.
"He's a tough customer to negotiate with."
How to Use Customer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who buys from a business, or (informally) a person of a certain sort.
Common pairings
loyal customer
customer service
tough customer
Word Forms
customers plural
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Etymology
From Old French coustumier, "a toll-gatherer," from custom, "a tax or duty" — originally someone who collected customs duties, later shifted to mean a regular buyer.