supplier
UK: səˈplaɪə | US: səˈplaɪər
n. a person or organization that provides goods or services to another entity
n. (computing) a component or system that delivers data or resources to another part of a program
supplier = sup<under> + ply<fill> + er<agent noun suffix>
- sup- (from Latin sub-, meaning "under")
- ply (from Latin plere, meaning "to fill"; evolved into Old French plier, meaning "to fold" or "to bend," later generalized to "provide")
- -er (agentive suffix in English, indicating "one who does something")
Etymology Origin:
The word supplier traces back to Latin sub- (under) + plere (to fill), combining to form supplere ("to fill up, complete"). Through Old French souploier ("to bend, comply"), it entered Middle English as supplien, meaning "to provide what is needed." The agent noun supplier emerged in the 16th century, reflecting the role of "one who fulfills demands." The modern sense aligns with logistics and commerce, emphasizing provision.
The company switched to a local supplier to reduce shipping costs.
Our main supplier of raw materials delayed the shipment due to weather conditions.
The software acts as a data supplier for the analytics platform.
Farmers are key suppliers of fresh produce to urban markets.
The government contracted multiple suppliers for the infrastructure project.