customer

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person or company that buys goods or services from a shop or business.

   The shop was full of customers during the holiday sale.

2. 2
   noun

   A regular buyer who keeps coming back to the same business.

   She has been a loyal customer at this bakery for years.

3. 3
   noun

   A person of a particular type that you have to deal with (informal).

   The new manager turned out to be a tough customer.

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.

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