ˈmembə(r) noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English membre, from Old French, from Latin membrum; akin to Gothic mimz flesh, Old Irish mīr bite, Greek mēninx membrane, mēros thigh, Sanskrit māṁsa flesh; basic meaning: flesh
1.
a. : a bodily part or organ
a lolling, impudent tongue — a truly unruly member — E.J.Banfield
the thyroid gland … may be the offending member — H.A.Overstreet
specifically : a part (as a limb) that projects from the main mass of the body
a man with sandy hair and large bodily members — G.S.Perry
b. : penis
let my member turn to dust — William Goyen
c. : a unit of structure in a plant body
a vessel member
2. : one who forms part of a metaphorical or metaphysical body
members of Christ
we are members one of another — Eph 4:25 (Revised Standard Version)
3. : one of the individuals composing a society, community, association, or other group: as
a.
(1) : a person who has been admitted usually formally to the responsibilities and privileges of some association or joint enterprise
a member of a law firm
a member of the New York Stock Exchange
a member of the school's governing board
(2) : a person who has been admitted usually formally into some social or professional society typically requiring payment of dues, adherence to a program, or compliance with some other requirements of membership
a member of a women's club
members of the bar association
a paid-up member
b. : a branch or affiliate of a political association
obtained the support of all member states
c.
(1) : an elected member of the British Parliament : a member of the House of Commons
(2) : a member of the lower house of Congress : a member of the House of Representatives
(3) : a person having membership in any of numerous legislative bodies
d. obsolete : a participant or associate in an action or benefit
e. : a church communicant : a person baptized or enrolled in a church
f. : one of the persons composing a territorial, kinship, or sociological unit
members of the immediate family attended the funeral
alert and responsible members of their communities — Official Register of Harvard University
members of the middle class
members of a tribe
4. : a constituent part of a whole: as
a. : a section or district of an estate, port, or other territorial unit
b.
(1) : a syntactic or rhythmic unit of a sentence : clause
(2) : one of the propositions of a syllogism
c. : one of the elements of which a mathematical aggregate is composed
d.
(1) : a part of a building or other structure whether constructional (as a pier or lintel) or decorative (as a molding)
(2) : an essential part of a framed structure, a machine, or a device
the design of compression members of bridge trusses — U.S. National Bureau of Standards Annual Report
e. : a minor stratigraphic unit of a geologic formation
f. : something belonging to a class or category
x is a member of A
a member of a species
one who philosophizes is a member of the class of philosophers
Synonyms: see part