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membership

American  
[mem-ber-ship] / ˈmɛm bərˌʃɪp /

noun

  1. the state of being a member, as of a society or club.

  2. the status of a member.

  3. the total number of members belonging to an organization, society, etc.


membership British  
/ ˈmɛmbəˌʃɪp /

noun

  1. the members of an organization collectively

  2. the state of being a member

"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

Etymology

Origin of membership

First recorded in 1640–50; member + -ship

Explanation

Use the noun membership to describe the people who together make up a group or organization. Your secret childhood club may have had a membership consisting only of you, your brother, and your best friend. Any official group has a membership, the people who belong to it. Your high school French club has a membership, and so does the United States Congress. You can also use the word to mean "the fact of being a member," like when you brag about your membership in Mensa, the organization for people with extremely high intelligence. The root of membership is the Latin word for body part or limb, membrum.

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Vocabulary lists containing membership

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.

Holman and other production creatives have launched membership organisation Screen Craft Guild Cymru to encourage the next generation who want to work in the industry as costume designers, make-up artists or production team members.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Beattie stepped away from the Ulster Unionist Party on Sunday saying it had become clear his membership was no longer "tenable".

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

The Southern Section has many options on how to proceed if Ganesha goes through with its decision to violate its commitment to the playoffs, from a postseason ban to removing the school from CIF membership.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

McArthur had joined the club in 2018 for the social life and was surprised by how much she enjoyed becoming membership chair in 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Heredity, date of fertilization, membership of Bokanovsky Group—details were transferred from test-tube to bottle.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

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