noun

membership

The state of belonging to a group, or its members collectively.

Membership in the neighborhood association gives residents a voice in decisions.

Etymology

Member names a person belonging to a group, and -ship names a state or relationship. Membership is that belonging, extended collectively to all who belong.

More examples

The club offers free membership to students.
The union's membership votes on the proposed contract today.
She maintains memberships in two professional organizations.

Forms

membership · memberships

member noun — A person who belongs to a group.

Similar words

affiliation: Emphasizes a connection with a group, not necessarily formal membership.
enrollment: Emphasizes registration in a group or program rather than belonging.