Member

ˈmɛmbər

nounBeginner🔥Very CommonPeople
2 meanings2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

A person or thing that belongs to a group or organization.

ˈmɛmbər

nounneutralBeginner
People

A person, animal, or thing belonging to a group or organization.

She is a valuable member of our team.

💡 Simply: Imagine a club: everyone who pays to be in the club is a *member*! It's like being part of a team or a family.

👶 For kids: A member is someone who is part of a group, like a club or a team.

More Examples

2

All members are expected to attend the meeting.

3

The dog lost a member of its body due to an accident.

How It's Used

Organizations

"A member of the club must pay annual dues."

Anatomy

"The doctor examined the patient's limbs."

Community

"Each family has a member in the neighborhood watch."

2

A limb or part of the body.

ˈmɛmbər

nounneutralmedium
Anatomy

A part of the body, especially a limb.

The patient's broken member required immediate attention.

💡 Simply: Your arm or leg is a *member* of your body! It's a part that works together with the other parts.

👶 For kids: A member can also mean a part of your body, like an arm or a leg!

More Examples

2

The doctor assessed the functionality of each member.

3

The athlete strained a member during training.

How It's Used

Anatomy

"The surgeon examined the fractured member."

Tip:Think of the body as a group and its parts.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

in good standing

Meeting all requirements of an organization and thus allowed to retain all privileges.

"He is a member in good standing of the bar association."

member of the cloth

A member of the clergy.

"The member of the cloth was called upon to give the blessing."

From Old French *membre*, from Latin *membrum* 'limb, part'.

The word has been in use since the 13th century, evolving from its Latin origins.

Memory tip

Think of the individual parts (limbs) of a body or the individuals that make up a group.

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"limb, part"

team memberclub memberfamily memberstaff membercongressional member

Common misspellings

mebermambermembor

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written