membership
/ˈmembəʃɪp/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmembərʃɪp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmem-bər-ˌship/ (ame, mw)
membership — noun
- membershipsingular
- membershipsplural
1. The official standing gained when a person joins a club, society, or institution
The official standing gained when a person joins a club, society, or institution, together with the rights and duties that go with it.
Matthew applied for membership in the local cycling club last spring.
apply for membership in [organization]
The community centre offers free membership to residents over sixty.
offer free membership to [group]
Ritu let her gym membership expire after she moved to a new town.
You need to renew your library membership before it runs out.
Kemi was proud of her membership in the volunteer fire department.
- affiliation
More formal; often describes a connection to a larger body such as a political party or university.
- enrollment
Focuses on the act of signing up rather than the ongoing state of being a member.
- participation
Emphasizes taking an active part rather than simply belonging.
- non-membership
The state of not belonging to an organization.
文法句型
possessive + membership
membership + in/of + [organization]
apply for / renew / cancel + membership
用法筆記
Typically uncountable, but can be countable when referring to a specific arrangement — for example, "I hold two memberships — one at the gym and one at the library."
常見錯誤
2. All the individuals who together form a club, society, or institution, considere
All the individuals who together form a club, society, or institution, considered as a single body, or the count of such individuals.
The membership voted to change the club's logo at the annual meeting.
membership + singular verb (collective noun)
The charity's membership has grown to over two thousand people this year.
membership grows / increases
A monthly newsletter goes out to the entire membership by email.
The theatre group's membership includes actors, writers, and stage crew.
The entire membership was surveyed about the proposed rule changes.
- members
The more straightforward plural form. Use when you want to emphasize each individual rather than the group as a whole.
- roster
Refers specifically to the list of members, not the people themselves.
- constituency
Used mainly for groups of voters or supporters in a political context.
文法句型
the + entire/whole + membership
membership + singular verb (votes, agrees, includes)
membership + of + [number/description]
用法筆記
Treats the group as a single unit and therefore takes a singular verb in standard English. To emphasize individual members, say "the members of the organization" instead.