Etimology
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”, adjective), from custuma (“custom, tax”). More at custom. By surface analysis, custom + -er.
noun
customer (plural customers)
(obsolete) A habitual patron, regular purchaser, returning client; one who has a custom of buying from a particular business.
A patron, a client; one who purchases or receives a product or service from a business or merchant, or intends to do so.
(informal) A person, especially one engaging in some sort of interaction with others.
(India, historical) A native official who exacted customs duties.
Examples
Every person who passes by is a potential customer.
a cool customer, a tough customer, an ugly customer
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."
This switch led to Philip Hammond becoming the Transport Secretary and he quickly proved to be a tricky customer, asking questions about rail spending and reining it back whenever possible.
His houses […] are seized on by the Customer.
The Customer should come and visit them.
The several affronts, insolences, and abuses dayly put upon us by Boolchund, our chief Customer
Related words
related terms
consuetude
costumal
costume
custom
customary
customization
customize
customs