English Reference
noun

membership

n.
US /ˈmɛmbɝˌʃɪp/ UK /mˈɛmbəʃˌɪp/ mem·ber·ship UK spelling membership's, membership's

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    the state of being a member of a group, club, or organization.

    the status or condition of being a member of a collective entity. Uncountable in this abstract sense.

    Simple

    You need to pay a small fee to renew your gym membership every year.

    In context

    The committee decided to grant her honorary membership in recognition of her lifelong dedication to the local historical society.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'of' or 'in'.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    all the people who belong to a particular group or organization.

    the collective body of members belonging to an organization. Usually treated as a singular collective noun.

    Simple

    The club's membership has grown quickly over the last few months.

    In context

    The union's membership voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest contract offer from the management team.

    Usage

    Can be followed by a singular or plural verb in British English.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Math

    the fact that an object or number belongs to a specific set.

    the relation between an element and the set that contains it.

    Simple

    In this math problem, we need to check the membership of each number in the set.

    In context

    The proof relies on the membership of the variable within the defined set of real numbers.

    Usage

    Often represented by the symbol ∈.

Usage class membership · group membership

On Europe, Erdogan said the European Union did not appear willing to admit Turkiye, adding that membership was no longer a priority for Ankara and that Europe would be “the loser” as a result.

Al Jazeera· 15 Aug 2026

You need to apply for a card then go into a shop with a valid student ID to activate your membership and qualify for the discounts.

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026

From member + -ship.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated