club

The word “club” means a group of people who join together for a shared interest or purpose, such as sport or recreation. In plain terms, a group of people sharing an interest, a heavy stick used as a weapon or sports tool, or a venue for nightlife — plus the verb meaning to hit with a club or to team up/pool resources.

“Club” is pronounced kluhb (/klʌb/ in IPA).

Here is “club” used in a sentence: “She joined the local chess club to meet other players.”

Words with a similar meaning to “club” include confraternity, cudgel and team.

Depending on how it is used, “club” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “club” comes from Old Norse.

“Club” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Club” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a group of people who join together for a shared interest or purpose, such as sport or recreation.

Both are groups formed around a shared interest. A club tends to be more social and often centres on an activity — a tennis club, a book club. A society is frequently more formal or academic, devoted to a cause or field of study, such as a historical society. The line, though, is often blurred.

A team is a group that plays or works together toward a shared goal, usually in competition. A club is the wider organisation that people join for an interest, and it may contain several teams. A football club, for instance, can field first, reserve, and youth teams under one name.

Clubs form around almost any shared interest: sports clubs, book clubs, chess clubs, social clubs, night clubs, and fan clubs, to name a few. Some exist for recreation, others for hobbies, networking, or community. What unites them is a group of members who gather around a common purpose.

A local tennis club whose members meet to play and compete is a clear example. So is a school book club that gathers to discuss reading, or a chess club that meets weekly. Each brings people together voluntarily around one shared activity or interest.