belongs

Belongs is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb belong. It is used to state that something is the property of someone, is part of a larger group, or is properly associated with a person, place, or thing.

The verb belong originates from Old English belangan, meaning to lie with or pertain to, and it has developed senses related to possession, association, and membership. In modern English, belong is intransitive and is most commonly used with the preposition to in phrases such as "belongs to." For example, "This book belongs to me," or "The apartment belongs to a private landlord." Belong can also describe inclusion within a group or organization, as in "She belongs to the science club" or "These artifacts belong in the museum." In mathematics and formal logic, the relational expression "x belongs to A" is commonly read as "x is an element of A," often denoted by the symbol ∈.

Belonging can also refer to a social or psychological sense of being accepted as part of a group or community. In discussions of identity and social theory, belonging reflects the human need to be connected and recognized.

Usage notes: ensure subject-verb agreement (singular uses belongs; plural uses belong); use belong to to indicate possession or affiliation; or use be a member of or be part of as synonyms when appropriate. Overall, belongs functions to express relational ties of ownership, association, and inclusion across contexts.