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 of fellowship

Noun

• communion
• friendship
• solidarity
• rapport

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

Hardwicke was head of the oncology-hematology fellowship program at Texas Tech when, shortly before Thanksgiving in 2014, his boss asked him to see a few patients in Childress, more than two hours away. —Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026

Recently completing a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Leeds, Shai's work examined how AI mirrors human cognitive processes and raises existential questions. —Big Think, 28 Mar. 2026

Verb

Peace Corps volunteers serve in host communities for two years after three months of training and receive a living stipend, housing, extensive language and technical training, and financial benefits that can include graduate school fellowships after service. —Magda Liszewska, Oc Register, 2 Mar. 2026

Wiseman was also awarded Guggenheim and MacArthur Prize fellowships. —Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026

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

Rhymes for fellowship

• authorship
• battleship
• censorship
• chairmanship
• chieftainship
• comradeship
• consulship
• craftsmanship
• dealership
• draftsmanship
• fingertip
• internship

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