Subscriber

/səbˈskraɪbər/

nounBeginner📊CommonLiterature
2 meanings2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

A person who agrees to receive something, typically a publication or service, regularly, often by paying in advance.

/səbˈskraɪbər/

nounneutralBeginner
Literature

A person who receives something regularly, usually for a fee.

As a subscriber, you'll receive the magazine every month.

💡 Simply: Imagine you sign up to get your favorite comic book delivered every month. You're a subscriber! It's someone who pays to get something regularly, like a magazine, a streaming service, or even a newspaper.

👶 For kids: A subscriber is someone who pays to get something special every so often, like a book or a show.

More Examples

2

The news website offers exclusive content to its subscribers.

3

The concert sold out quickly, leaving many potential subscribers disappointed.

How It's Used

Media

"The magazine has a large subscriber base."

Technology

"The internet service provider has thousands of subscribers."

2

A person who agrees to purchase shares or bonds offered by a company or organization.

/səbˈskraɪbər/

nounneutralmedium
Business

A person who subscribes to a financial offering.

The fund had many subscribers who invested in the new venture.

💡 Simply: When a company needs money, they might offer to sell you a small piece of their company (shares) or let you lend them money (bonds). If you buy these, you're a subscriber!

👶 For kids: When grown-ups buy something to help a company get some money, they are a subscriber.

More Examples

2

The initial public offering (IPO) attracted many subscribers.

3

Institutional subscribers are often large investment firms.

How It's Used

Finance

"The company sought new subscribers to their bond offering."

Tip:Subscribing involves the purchase of financial offerings

Idioms & expressions

subscriber agreement

A contract between a service provider and a subscriber outlining terms of service and fees.

"The subscriber agreement details the terms of service for the internet plan."

subscriber base

The total number of subscribers to a particular service or publication.

"The magazine is proud of its growing subscriber base."

From Middle French *scriber* (to write) and *sub-* (under), signifying one who signs their name at the bottom of a document (subscription).

The term 'subscriber' was used to describe those who paid for a newspaper or journal in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Memory tip

Think of signing UNDER a contract to RECEIVE something.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"to write"

magazine subscriberinternet subscribersubscriber basesubscriber agreement

Common misspellings

subscibersubscibersubsciber

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written