fellowship

1 of 2

noun

fel·​low·​ship ˈfe-lə-ˌship 

-lō-

1

: companionship, company

looking for the fellowship of friendly people

2

a

: community of interest, activity, feeling, or experience

their fellowship in crime

—A. J. Ayer

b

: the state of being a fellow or associate

3

: a company of equals or friends : association

a youth fellowship

4

: the quality or state of being comradely

meaningful communication for building trust and fellowship

5

obsolete : membership, partnership

6

a

: the position of a fellow (as of a university)

applied for a research fellowship in physics

b

: the stipend of a fellow

c

: a foundation for the providing of such a stipend

fellowship

2 of 2

verb

fellowshipped also fellowshiped ˈfe-lə-ˌshipt 

-lō-

; fellowshipping also fellowshiping ˈfe-lə-ˌshi-piŋ 

-lō-

intransitive verb

: to join in fellowship especially with a church member

transitive verb

: to admit to fellowship (as in a church)

Synonyms

Noun

• communion
• rapport
• rapprochement

Examples of fellowship in a Sentence

Noun

traditions that bind us together in fellowship

members of a law firm who violated just about every ethical principle that the legal fellowship holds dear

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Quammen—a recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship and a Lannan Literary Award—worked for 15 years in the 1980s and 1990s as Outside’s Natural Acts columnist. —Lisa Chase, Outside Online, 29 Nov. 2024

That drive to self-improvement and new directions as an artist led to opportunities such as a fellowship with United States Artists. —Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024

Verb

The building will undergo restoration work before the trust plans to expand programming, including annual residency fellowships for artists, architects, students and scholars focused on the preservation of modern buildings. —Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 1 Aug. 2024

Universities could also learn from law firms that have shifted the focus of their diversity fellowships from an applicant’s race to their commitment to equity, said Yoshino, the NYU School of Law professor. —Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Washington Post, 9 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English felaweschipe, going back to Old English fēolagscipe, from fēolaga fellow + -scipe -ship

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing fellowship

• traveling fellowship

Kids Definition

fellowship

noun

fel·​low·​ship

ˈfel-ō-ˌship

1

: a friendly relationship among people

2

: a sharing of interest or feeling

3

: a group with similar interests

4

a

: the position of a fellow (as of a university)

b

: the funds granted a fellow