mem·ber / ˈmembər/ • n. 1. an individual belonging to a group such as a society or team: a member of the drama club interest from members of the public. ∎  an animal or plant belonging to a taxonomic group: a member of the lily family. ∎  (also Member) a person formally elected to take part in the proceedings of certain organizations: members of Congress Member of Parliament. ∎  a part or branch of a political body: [as adj.] member countries of the Central African Customs Union. 2. a constituent piece of a complex structure: the main member that joins the front and rear axles. ∎  a part of a sentence, equation, group of figures, mathematical set, etc.3. archaic a part or organ of the body, esp. a limb. ∎  (also male member) the penis. Compare with membrum virile. ∎ Bot. any part of a plant viewed with regard to its form and position, rather than to its function.DERIVATIVES: mem·bered adj. [in comb.] ( chiefly Chem. ) a six-membered oxygen-containing ring.

member (element) of a set S. An object x that is in S, usually denoted by x ∈ S. One of the basic actions that can be performed on sets is asking whether or not an object is in a set. See also operations on sets.

member organ, limb XIII; constituent portion or individual XIV; one elected to a parliament, etc. XV; division of a sentence XVI. — (O)F. membre :- L. membrum, app. rel. to OIr. mīr piece of meat, Skr. māmsá-, OSl. męso, Goth. mimz meat, Gr. mērós thigh.

member See FORMATION.