I. ˈklīənt noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French client, from Latin client-, cliens client, dependent, literally, one who has someone to lean on; akin to Old Norse hlīta to be satisfied with, Latin clinare to lean — more at lean
1. : a person under the protection of another : vassal , dependent
an impecunious client and favored dinner companion of Lorenzo the Magnificent and his court — G.C.Sellery
a first-rate power, able to defend her political clients in central and eastern Europe — W.W.Kulski
especially : a dependent (as a freed slave or one of the plebs) in ancient Rome who was obliged to perform certain services in return for the protection he received from his patrician patron
2.
a. : a person who engages the professional advice or services of another
results … discouraging to the client as well as the veterinarian — O.V.Brumley
professional relationship of architect and client
specifically : a person who consults or engages the services of a legal advisor
b. : patron , customer
hotel clients
the single client examining the secondhand books on the stand outside the paper shop — Kay Boyle
c. : a person served by or utilizing the services of a social agency or a public institution
one set of laws for clients social agencies and another for the rest of our citizens — Jane Rinck
relief and old-age clients — New York State Legislative Committee on Problems of the Aging
was spreading for the benefit of new clients — F.L.Paxson
II. noun
: a computer in a network that uses the services (as access to files or shared peripherals) provided by a server