Client
/ˈklaɪ.ənt/noun
A person who receives services from a professional or business.
Did you know?The Latin root behind client, *cluēns*, meant “hearing” or “obeying,” because a client was originally someone who listened to and followed a patron’s authority.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱlew-
“to hear; to be heard”
Latin
Latin
cluēns
“one who hears or obeys”
Ancient Rome
Latin
cliēns
“a dependent follower under the protection of a patron”
Old French
Old French
client
“a dependent, retainer, or follower”
Middle English
English
client
“a person under another's protection or patronage”
Modern English
English
client
“a customer or recipient of professional services”