customer

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

cus•tom•er /ˈkʌstəmɚ/   n. [countable]

1. a person who purchases goods or services from another;
   buyer:
   I was one of their most loyal customers.
2. Informal Terms Informal. a person one has dealings with:
   a tough customer.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

cus•tom•er  (kus′tə mər), n. 

1. a person who purchases goods or services from another;
   buyer;
   patron.
2. Informal Terms a person one has to deal with:
   a tough customer; a cool customer.

• Anglo-French; Old French costumier, cognate with Medieval Latin custumārius; see customary
• 1400–50; late Middle English; see custom, -er¹; compare Middle English customer collector of customs

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

customer / ˈkʌstəmə/ noun

1. a person who buys
2. a person with whom one has dealings