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 That interpretation of the law is strongly rejected by 145 Republican members of the House and Senate. USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024 The large United States flag will be unfurled in centerfield by Rangers’ season ticket Lone Star members before the singing of the anthem. David Ammenheuser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2024 Even after earmarks were re-instituted – with mandatory transparency requirements – some Republican members still choose not to participate. Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024 Various cases involving the molestation of children by members of the Catholic Church, the trial of Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky and actors speaking out about abuse have altered the once-taboo conversation. Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024 Here’s a recap, ranked by peak position, of BTS members’ 15 Global Excl. Gary Trust, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024 The program funds up to half of corps members’ salaries, but requires a portion also be raised through local community fundraising. Connor Giffin, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2024 The romantic pentagon’s members are quarrelsome, foolish, and discombobulated by the passage of time—characters often describe themselves as being a bore or a burden, or as having missed their moment. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024 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

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 28 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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