member

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person who belongs to a group, club, organization, or team.

   Grammar: Countable noun: one member, two members. Often followed by 'of': a member of the team.

   Patterns

   • a member of something
   • a member of a club/team/organization

   She became a member of the local tennis club last year.

   All members of the committee voted in favor of the new plan.

   As a member, you get a discount on all tickets.

2. 2nouncountabletechnical

   A part or unit that forms one of the components of a whole structure or system.

   Grammar: Often used in technical contexts: a member of a set, a structural member.

   Patterns

   • a member of a set/class/category
   • a structural member

   In mathematics, each element in a set is called a member of that set.

   The steel members of the bridge were inspected for cracks.

   This species is a member of the cat family.

Word forms

Common combinations

member state

The European Union has 27 member states.

member of staff

Every member of staff must attend the training session.

family member

She invited all her close family members to the wedding.

card-carrying member

He is a card-carrying member of the socialist party.

active member

She has been an active member of the choir for ten years.

Synonyms and how they differ

associate

Often suggests a less formal or less full membership; a member is usually officially enrolled.

affiliate

Used for organizations or groups connected to a larger body, not usually for individuals in everyday speech.

fellow

Formal or literary; can mean a person in the same group, but 'member' is the standard everyday word.

Opposites

Word family

membership noun

The state of being a member, or the total group of members.

membered adjective

Having members, usually used in combinations like 'many-membered'.

Commonly confused: member or remember?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “member”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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