Meðlimur

Meðlimur is Icelandic for a person who belongs to a group, organization, or body. It designates an individual who is part of something larger, such as a club, association, political party, company board, or governmental body. The term is used in both everyday speech and formal language to indicate membership.

Grammatical notes: Meðlimur is a masculine noun. The basic forms are typically: indefinite singular meðlimur; definite singular meðlimurinn; indefinite plural meðlimir; definite plural meðlimirnir. The standard construction to express membership is að vera meðlimur í einhverju, for example: Ég er meðlimur í íþróttafélagi. Hann er meðlimur í stjórnmálaflokki.

Etymology: The word is generally traced to a combination of með, meaning “with,” and limur, meaning “limb” or “part.” Historically, it referred to a part belonging to a body and later extended metaphorically to denote a person belonging to a group or organization.

Usage notes: Mélimur is commonly used across contexts—social, cultural, professional, and political—to denote formal or informal membership. In many cases, the surrounding noun is a club, association, or institution, as in “meðlimur félagsins” (a member of the club) or “meðlimur stjórnkerfisins” (a member of the governing body). Related terms include sambærilegar concepts such as félagi for a fellow member or partner in some contexts, and more general references to organizations or associations.

See also: félag (club or association) and samtök (organizations or unions).