member

noun

mem·​ber ˈmem-bər How to pronounce member (audio)
often attributive
1
: a body part or organ: such as
a
: limb
b
: penis
c
: a unit of structure in a plant body
2
: one of the individuals composing a group
3
: a person baptized or enrolled in a church
4
: a part of a whole: such as
a
: a syntactic or rhythmic unit of a sentence : clause
b
: one of the propositions of a syllogism
c
: one of the elements of a set or class
d
: either of the equated elements in a mathematical equation
Choose the Right Synonym for member

part, portion, piece, member, division, section, segment, fragment mean something less than the whole.

part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

Examples of member in a Sentence

The club has 300 members. She is a member of the House of Representatives. She is a member of Parliament. a member of the audience This bird is a member of the finch family. countries that are members of the United Nations a horizontal member of a bridge
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There's a new cake at Costco this summer – and members are raving about it. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025 In the end, three long-serving GOP members, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina voted against, forcing Vice President JD Vance to break a 50-50 tie. Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 1 July 2025 Letting go of trusted and long-serving staff members—from security personnel to dining services—deeply affected the campus community, eroding trust and undermining morale and long-term retention for several years to come. Carol Geffner, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 In October, Keith was posthumously inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, entering prestigious institution alongside John Anderson and guitarist James Burton. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for member

Word History

Etymology

Middle English membre, from Anglo-French, from Latin membrum; akin to Goth mimz flesh, Greek mēros thigh

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of member was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Member.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/member. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

member

noun
mem·​ber ˈmem-bər How to pronounce member (audio)
1
: a part (as an arm, leg, leaf, or branch) of an animal or plant
2
: one of the individuals or units of a group or organization
a club member
3
: a part of a whole and especially of a structure
a horizontal member of a bridge
4
a
: the whole expression on one side or the other of a mathematical equation or inequality

Medical Definition

member

noun
mem·​ber ˈmem-bər How to pronounce member (audio)
: a body part or organ
the thyroid gland may be the offending memberH. A. Overstreet
: as
a
: limb
b
: penis

More from Merriam-Webster on member

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!