What does supplier mean?
A supplier is a person, business, or organization that provides goods or services to another party, usually in exchange for payment. The term is particularly common in commerce, where it may identify a company that supplies raw materials, finished products, equipment, or services to another business. It can also be used more broadly for a source of something: a country may be described as a major supplier of oil, or a wetland as a supplier of freshwater. In contracts and procurement, supplier normally emphasizes the entity responsible for making goods or services available, while buyer or customer identifies the purchasing party. Although supplier is often used for firms and organizations, it can also refer to an individual seller. The word is distinct from supply, which can refer either to the goods or services provided or to the act of providing them.
nounA person, business, or organization that sells or provides goods or services to another party.
- A person, business, or organization that sells or provides goods or services to another party.
- A source or place from which a commodity or service is available.
"The manufacturer appointed a local supplier to distribute its products."
"We are the principal supplier of replacement parts to the region."
"The river is a major supplier of freshwater to the surrounding wetlands."
"The supplier notified customers of a delay in the shipment."
The plural is used when referring to multiple providers of goods or services.
"The factory has approved several suppliers of industrial components."
Supplier and supply share an old idea of filling something up; today they point to the business of keeping customers supplied.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does supplier come from?
The word was formed in English from supply with the agentive suffix -er, a productive ending used to denote someone who performs an action or provides something. Supply itself comes through Old French from Latin supplēre, meaning “to fill up” or “provide.” Words such as supplement and supplementary ultimately belong to the same broad Latin family, although their modern meanings and histories have developed in different directions.
How supplier is actually used
In general commercial usage, supplier usually denotes a business or organization rather than an individual, although supplier may also refer to an individual vendor. It is especially common in manufacturing, retail, logistics, procurement, and public contracts.
Easily confused with supplier
A supplier is the person or business providing goods or services, whereas supply can name the goods or services themselves or act as a verb.