cliënt

See also: client

Dutch

Etymology

17th century, from Latin cliens, possibly through French client. Doublet of client.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kliˈɛnt/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: cli‧ent
  • Rhymes: -ɛnt

Noun

cliënt m (plural cliënten, diminutive cliëntje n, feminine cliënte)

  1. (male) client, customer (of a service provider)
    De cliënt was tevreden met de diensten die hij van het advocatenkantoor ontving.
    The client was satisfied with the services he received from the law firm.
    De tandartspraktijk heeft veel tevreden cliënten die regelmatig voor controle komen.
    The dental practice has many satisfied clients who come in regularly for check-ups.
    De persoonlijke wensen en behoeften van de cliënte worden altijd serieus genomen.
    The personal wishes and needs of the female client are always taken seriously.

Usage notes

  • A customer who buys goods rather than a service is instead a klant (buyer/customer) in vernacular Dutch. Klant can generally also be used for cliënt, though this is sometimes informal as in English, while the vice versa usage is unusual.

Descendants

  • Afrikaans: kliënt
  • Indonesian: klien