Customer
/ˈkʌstəmər/noun
A person who buys goods or services from a business.
Did you know?Customer comes from the same Latin root as *consuetudo* (“custom, habit”), which is why its earliest sense was basically “someone who regularly does business” rather than a one-time buyer.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
consuēscere
“to become used to; to accustom”
Late Latin
Latin
consuētūdō
“custom, habit, practice”
14th Century
Old French
custume
“custom, habitual practice”
Late Middle English
English
custumer
“a person who frequents a place or deals regularly with a merchant”
Modern English
English
customer
“a buyer of goods or services”
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