provider
/prəˈvaɪdə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /prəˈvaɪdər/ (ame, ipa) · /prə-ˈvī-dər/ (ame, mw)
provider — noun
- providersingular
- providersplural
1. A person, company, or organization that gives people the things they need — such
A person, company, or organization that gives people the things they need — such as food, money, medical care, or internet services.
Ezra became a live-in care provider for an elderly woman in his town.
countable noun: [type of service] + provider
After Sahil lost his job, he was no longer the family's main provider.
breadwinner sense — main provider for [family]
This hospital is the largest healthcare provider in the region, with over 500 beds.
Our internet provider raised the monthly price, so Nadia switched to a cheaper company.
Wei's grandmother was the main provider of meals and childcare while both parents worked.
- supplier
more common for physical goods and business-to-business transactions
- breadwinner
restricted to a person earning money to support their family
- vendor
a seller in a commercial setting, often of food or small goods
- consumer
a person or organization that uses or buys goods and services
用法筆記
Frequently used in compound nouns where the first word names the type of service (internet provider, healthcare provider, childcare provider). The breadwinner sense (a person who supports their family financially) is most common in possessive or family contexts: the family's main provider.