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 The former member of Congress and chair of the House Republican Conference describes her experiences during and after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 The track was co-written by Woodward, Dallin and former member Siobhan Fahey with producers Steve Jolley and Tony Swain. David Chiu, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 The theoretically Amy-centric third episode, for instance, spends a lot of time on Troy having an affair with a co-worker, and features a key revelation about Savannah and another member of the family. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 The coalition’s members and supporters have been gathering since the Berlin and Malaga festivals to denounce the new government’s drive to axe government spending and rein in the country’s hyper-inflation at the expense of its culture. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 Historically, Azimut has not been known for functional details, but the 72 has a third steering station with joystick controls in the cockpit for easier docking, as well as a work area at the bow for crew members working the anchor. Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 Players have marveled at the international attention the 29-year-old attracts, felt most acutely by the masses of global press members — most of them Japanese — who have descended upon their Camelback Ranch facility in Arizona this spring. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The group released six albums before Nelson left the group in 2020 after the release of their final album, Confetti, with the remaining members going on hiatus in Dec. 2021; their final show, an April 2022 gig at the O2 Arena in London, was livestreamed. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2024 The challenge of quantifying ROI amid efforts to enhance provider and member satisfaction has been transcended. Tammy Hawes, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'member.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near member

Cite this Entry

“Member.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/member. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

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