customer
UK: ˈkʌstəmə | US: ˈkʌstəmər
n. a person or organization that buys goods or services from a store or business
n. (informal) a person with a particular characteristic or habit (e.g., "a regular customer")
The word "customer" originally referred to someone who frequented a place due to established habits (e.g., a tavern). Over time, it narrowed to its modern commercial sense, emphasizing the transactional relationship between buyers and sellers. The root custom reflects the idea of repeated interaction, while -er marks the person engaged in that practice.
The store offers discounts to loyal customers.
She’s a frequent customer at the local coffee shop.
The angry customer demanded a refund for the defective product.
Our goal is to provide excellent service to every customer.
He’s a tough customer to please when it comes to food quality.