membre

Membre is a masculine French noun with two principal senses. It commonly denotes a part of the body, typically a limb such as an arm or a leg. It also designates a person who belongs to a group, organization, or body, such as a member of a club, a committee, or a team. In anatomy, the limbs are often referred to collectively as les membres; expressions like membre supérieur (upper limb) and membre inférieur (lower limb) are standard.

Etymology and form: The word comes from Latin membrum, meaning a part or limb, and entered Old French as membre before evolving into modern French. The English word member is cognate with the same Latin root. The noun is masculine, and the plural form is membres. There is no feminine form of the noun; agreement with gender in sentences is handled by the accompanying adjectives or determiners.

Usage notes: In everyday language, “membre” covers both bodily and group-related senses. For example, “un membre de la famille” means a family member, while “un membre du personnel” or “un membre du conseil” refers to a person belonging to an organization. In medical or anatomical contexts, phrases such as “les quatre membres” or “les membres supérieurs” are common. The term is versatile and widely used across formal and informal registers.

See also: limbs, anatomy terminology, membership in organizations.