client

cli-ent · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A person or organization using the services of a professional person or company.

  2. 2.

    A customer of a business, especially one who receives personalized services.

  3. 3.

    (computing) A computer or program that accesses services from a server.

  4. 4.

    (historical) A person dependent on another for protection or support, especially in ancient Rome.

Forms

plural: clients

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    client base — the group of customers a business serves
  • •
    client-facing — involving direct interaction with clients
  • •
    client satisfaction — the degree to which clients are pleased with services
  • •
    client confidentiality — protecting private client information

Related words

Antonyms: provider, supplier, vendor
See also: business, customer, patron, service
Synonyms: buyer, customer, patron

Etymology

From Latin cliens (genitive clientis), meaning "follower, retainer," related to clinare ("to lean, incline"). In ancient Rome, a client was a citizen who depended on a patron for protection. The modern business sense developed from this relationship of dependency and service.