miembro

Miembro is a masculine Spanish noun with two principal senses. In social contexts, it refers to a person who belongs to a group, organization, or community. In anatomy, it designates a limb of the body, whether of a human or an animal. The word derives from Latin membrum, meaning “extremity” or “part of the body,” and is related to the English word limb.

In social usage, the term identifies individuals who form part of a collective, such as a family, a club, a committee, or a legislative body. Common expressions include “miembro de la familia,” “miembro de un comité,” or “miembro de la Cámara.” It is also used in phrases like “miembro de honor” or “miembro activo.”

In anatomical and medical contexts, “miembro” refers to an extremity. The terms “miembro superior” and “miembro inferior” describe the upper limb (shoulder, arm, forearm, hand) and the lower limb (thigh, leg, foot), respectively. Clinically, it can appear in phrases such as “lesión del miembro derecho” or “amputación de un miembro.”

Grammatical notes: the noun is traditionally masculine, with plural “los miembros.” Although some language communities use “miembra” in an effort to gender the term, this feminine form is not universally accepted in standard Spanish.