supplier
gb/səplˈaɪɚ/ us/səplˈaɪɚ/
B1
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
person or company providing goods/services
A person or business that gives products or services to another person or business.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a supplier of [goods/services]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'supplier' with 'producer'. A producer makes the goods, but a supplier is the one who provides them to customers or businesses.
Synonyms
vendor (Often used for someone selling goods, especially in a market or retail context.)
|
provider (Can refer more broadly to someone who supplies any type of service or resource, not just goods.)
Antonyms
customer (The party that buys or receives goods or services from a supplier.)
Collocations
main supplier
|local supplier
|reliable supplier
|approved supplier
|food supplier
Themes
business
|trade
|commerce
|finance
|work
Examples
- The company is our main supplier of office furniture.
- We are looking for a reliable supplier for our restaurant.
- Several suppliers have bid for the contract.
- The supplier delivered the order ahead of schedule.
- Our suppliers are based in different countries.
Learner examples
- The shop has a new supplier for milk.
- We need to find a good supplier.
- This company is our main supplier.
- The supplier brings food to the school.
Noun
B2
entity
2
source providing needed resource
Something that gives what is needed.
Synonyms
source (A more general term for where something comes from.)
Antonyms
consumer (One who uses up the supplied resource.)
Collocations
energy supplier
|water supplier
Themes
general
|resources
|core_vocabulary
|science
Examples
- The river is an important supplier of fresh water to the city.
- Trees are natural suppliers of oxygen.
- This well is the only supplier of drinking water for the village.
Learner examples
- The sun is a supplier of light.
- A river can be a supplier of fish.
- Trees are suppliers of oxygen.
Grammar
Dictionary form
supplier
IPA
GB/səplˈaɪɚ/
US/səplˈaɪɚ/
Syllables & stress
sup - pli - er (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (pli)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: supplier
- Plural: suppliers
Word family
Forms
suppliers
noun
Core family
supply
noun A2
Related words
resupply
verb
Advanced or less common
oversupply
verb
undersupply
verb
Expressions
approved supplier
1/əpɹˈuvd səplˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
officially accepted provider
A person or company that has permission to give products or services.
Examples
- Only approved suppliers can bid for this contract.
- We have a list of approved suppliers for safety reasons.
local supplier
1/lˈoʊkəl səplˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
nearby provider of goods/services
A person or company close to you that gives products or services.
Examples
- We try to buy vegetables from local suppliers.
- Local suppliers can deliver faster than foreign ones.
main supplier
1/mˈeɪn səplˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
primary provider of goods/services
The most important person or company giving products or services to someone.
Examples
- They are our main supplier of building materials.
- Japan is the main supplier of electronics to many countries.