readership
UK[ˈriːdəʃɪp]US[ˈriːdərʃɪp]
n
The group of people who read a particular newspaper, magazine, or book, considered as a whole.
n
The position or office of a Reader at a university.
Morpheme Breakdown
reader
ship
reader
one who reads.
ship
Etymology
The word 'readership' is a transparent modern English compound, formed by combining the agent noun 'reader' with the collective/abstract suffix '-ship'. Its core component, 'reader', descends from the Old English verb rǣdan, which originally meant "to advise, counsel, or interpret" before specializing to its modern meaning related to interpreting written text. The suffix '-ship' originates from the Old English noun-forming element -scipe, which denoted a state, condition, or office, and has been prolific in forming terms for collective groups (e.g., membership, citizenship) and abstract qualities. Therefore, 'readership' logically constructs its meaning as "the collective body or state of being a reader," a concept that emerged with the growth of periodical literature and mass media, quantifying an audience for published works.
Analysis
Structure: reader + ship
reader: From Old English rǣdere (advisor, interpreter, reader), from the verb rǣdan (to advise, read). In this compound, it functions as the agent noun meaning "one who reads."
ship: From Old English -scipe (state, condition, office, quality), a suffix used to form nouns. In this compound, it functions as a suffix denoting a collective body or state.
Examples
The magazine has a readership of over two million.
The newspaper is trying to expand its readership among younger audiences.
She was appointed to the readership in Comparative Literature.