A salesman with two clients.
An example of a client is a student being tutored at a college writing center.
- Archaic a person dependent on another, as for protection or patronage
- a person or company for whom a lawyer, accountant, advertising agency, etc. is acting
- a customer
- a person served by a social agency, psychotherapist, etc.
- a nation, state, etc. dependent on another politically, economically, etc.also client state
- Comput. a terminal or personal computer that is connected to a server (sense )
Origin of clientOld French ; from Classical Latin cliens, follower, retainer ; from Indo-European base an unverified form klei-, to lean, as in Classical Latin clinare (see incline); basic sense, “one leaning on another (for protection)”
- The party for which professional services are rendered, as by an attorney.
- A customer or patron: clients of the hotel.
- A person using the services of a social services agency.
- One that depends on the protection of another.
- A client state.
- Computers A computer or program that can download files for manipulation, run applications, or request application-based services from a file server.
Origin of clientMiddle English, from Old French, from Latin cli&emacron;ns, client-, dependent, follower; see klei- in Indo-European roots.
- A customer, a buyer or receiver of goods or services.
- (computing) The role of a computer application or system that requests and/or consumes the services provided by another having the role of server.
- Person who receives help or advice from a professional person (ex. a lawyer, an accountant, a social worker, a psychiatrist, etc).
- (law) A person who employs or retains an attorney to represent him or her in any legal matter, or one who merely divulges confidential matters to an attorney while pursuing professional assistance without subsequently retaining the attorney.
client - Computer Definition
In a client/server architecture, a complete, standalone computer that optimizes the user interface, relying on servers to handle the more mundane tasks associated with application and file storage, network administration, security, and other critical functions. See also architecture, client/server, and server.
A computer program transmitting data to a parent server program.
See Also: Computer.
Symantec Security Response. Glossary. [Online, July 15, 2004.] Symantec Security Response Website. http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/refa.html.
(1) A desktop computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet, as well as any other electronic device that sends or receives data from a server. The term implies a connection to a wired or wireless network. Contrast with server. See client application, client download, client/server, thin client and fat client.
(3) The customer of a vendor or consultant. The client of an IT department is the end user.
client - Legal Definition