charter member

American

noun

one of the original members or founders of a club, organization, etc.

charter member British

noun

an original or founder member of a society or organization

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

charter membership

noun

Etymology

Origin of charter member

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

charter member

“We don’t want to split, right? That’s a problem,” the charter member of the woman’s GOP group said after seeing Bianco speak.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

Under the draft charter, member states could serve three-year terms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026

Of course, Benmont Tench III is most well-known for being the guy sitting over Tom Petty’s right shoulder as a charter member of the Heartbreakers, rocking away at the Hammond B3 organ.

From Salon ● May 27, 2025

In the ACC, where UNC is a charter member, Florida State and Clemson are engaged in a legal fight to leave the conference and explore lucrative moves elsewhere.

From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2024

"I'm already part of this family. I'm like a charter member."

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023