customer

From Middle English customere, custommere, 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”, adj), from custuma (“custom, tax”). More at custom.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkʌstəmə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkʌstəmɚ/

customer (plural customers)

1. A patron; one who purchases or receives a product or service from a business or merchant, or intends to do so.

   Every person who passes by is a potential customer.

2. (informal) A person, especially one engaging in some sort of interaction with others.

   a cool customer, a tough customer, an ugly customer

   • 1971, Herman Wouk, chapter 52, in The Winds of War]:

     Pug could just see Slote's pale face under his fur hat. "I don't agree with you on that. He's a pretty tough customer, Hopkins."

• costumer