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

The fellowship is for unpublished diverse women and non-binary individuals, seeking to provide a launchpad for more diverse stories in publishing. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 May 2025

Our mission is simple yet powerful: create space for all of our communities to come together in love, celebration and fellowship. —Dawn Moore, Baltimore Sun, 12 May 2025

Verb

Our graduates also have a strong record of winning various prestigious awards, such as Fulbright Fellowships, U.S. Presidential Management Fellowships, and international development fellowships. —Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2024

Guggenheim fellowships go to groundbreaking and innovative artists, writers, scholars, scientists and others. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Apr. 2025

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