customer

customer — noun

1. someone who gives money to a shop or company in return for items or the work the

1.nounA2
Definition

someone who gives money to a shop or company in return for items or the work they do

Example

Every new customer at the store receives a welcome gift with their first purchase.

collocation: new customer

Regular customers at the cafe get a free drink after every ten visits.

collocation: regular customer

Common collocations
  • new customer
  • regular customer
  • loyal customer
  • dissatisfied customer
  • potential customer
  • customer service
  • customer support
  • customer base
Synonyms
  • buyer

    Focuses on the act of purchasing rather than the relationship with the seller

  • shopper

    Specifically refers to someone browsing or buying in a physical store

  • client

    Used for professional services; implies an ongoing relationship

  • consumer

    Broader term for anyone who uses a product, not necessarily the person who buys it

Antonyms
  • seller

    The person or business that provides goods or services

  • vendor

    A business that sells products to customers, often in a market or trade setting

Usage Note

Distinguish from 'client': use 'customer' for shops, restaurants, and everyday services where payment is per item or visit. Use 'client' for professional services such as lawyers, consultants, or advertising agencies, where there is a longer-term relationship.

Common Mistakes

She is a customer of the law firm.
She is a client of the law firm.
Professional services like law or consulting use 'client,' not 'customer.'
I am a customer of the hospital.
I am a patient at the hospital.
Healthcare uses 'patient' for people receiving medical treatment, not 'customer.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to someone who obtains goods or services, but the context differs. 'Customer' is the most general term for anyone who pays a business for items or services — used in shops, restaurants, banks, and phone companies. 'Client' suggests a professional, ongoing relationship with a lawyer, designer, or agency. 'Buyer' focuses purely on the act of purchase and is often used in business-to-business contexts (a buyer for a department store). 'Shopper' specifically describes someone browsing or purchasing in a physical retail space. 'Consumer' is the broadest term, covering anyone who uses a product regardless of who paid for it. For example: 'The supermarket customer complained about a spoiled item,' but 'The advertising agency presented three ideas to its client.'

client ↗buyer ↗shopper ↗consumer ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • customer of the bank
  • customer at the restaurant
  • customer with a complaint

Prepositions

Etymology

Anglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'customer' entered English from Anglo-French 'custumer,' a person who regularly visits a market, which came from 'custume' (custom). In medieval times, a customer was someone who paid a toll or tax regularly. By the 1500s, the meaning had shifted to its modern sense: a person who habitually buys from a particular shop or business. The underlying idea — 'regular practice' or 'habit' — still links to the word 'custom.'