fellow

English Online Dictionary. What means fellow‎? What does fellow mean?

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɛləʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɛloʊ/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈfɛlo(ʊ)/
• (informal, nonstandard) IPA^(key): /ˈfɛlə/
• Homophone: felloe
• Rhymes: -ɛləʊ
• Hyphenation: fel‧low

Etymology 1

From Middle English felowe, Early Middle English felage (“companion, good friend”) from Old English fēolaga, from Old Norse félagi, derived from félag (“joint venture; partnership”, literally “a laying together of property”), from fé (“livestock, property; money”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- (“livestock; wealth”)) + lag (“something laid down; right position; arrangement; companionship, fellowship; partnership”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- (“to lie down”)).

Noun

fellow (plural fellows)

1. (chiefly in the plural, also figuratively) A companion; a comrade.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:associate
2. (chiefly in the plural) An animal which is a member of a breed or species, or a flock, herd, etc.
3. (chiefly in the plural) An object which is associated with another object; especially, as part of a set.
4. (also attributively) A person or thing comparable in characteristics with another person or thing; especially, as belonging to the same class or group.
   1. (chiefly in the negative) A person with abilities, achievements, skills, etc., equal to those of another person; a thing with characteristics, worth, etc., equal to those of another thing.
   2. (chiefly in the plural) One in the same condition, or situation of need, as another.
   3. (archaic, chiefly in the plural)
      1. An equal in character, power, rank, etc.; a peer.
      2. A person living at the same time, or about the same age as another, especially when in the same field of study or work.
5. Often in the form Fellow: academic senses.
   1. Originally, one of a group of academics who make up a college or similar educational institution; now, a senior member of a college or similar educational institution involved in teaching, research, and management of the institution.
   2. An honorary title bestowed by a college or university upon a distinguished person (often an alumna or alumnus).
   3. A (senior) member of a learned or professional society.
      1. (specifically, British, historical) A senior member of an Inn of Court.
   4. (chiefly British) A scholar appointed to a fellowship, that is, a paid academic position held for a certain period which usually requires the scholar to conduct research.
   5. (Canada, US) A physician undergoing a fellowship (supervised subspecialty medical training) after having completed a residency (specialty training program).
   6. (US) A member of a college or university who manages its business interests.
   7. (US) A senior researcher or technician in a corporation, especially one engaged in research and development.
6. (informal) A male person; a bloke, a chap, a guy, a man; also, preceded by a modifying word, sometimes with a sense of mild reproach: used as a familiar term of address to a man.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:man
8. (rare) Usually qualified by an adjective or used in the plural: an individual or person regardless of gender.
9. (by extension, often humorous or ironic) An animal or object.
10. (archaic)
    1. One of a pair of things suited to each other or used together; a counterpart, a mate.
       1. Originally (obsolete), a person's partner (of either sex) in life or marriage; a spouse; also, the mate of an animal; now (dated), a person's male lover or partner; a boyfriend; a husband.
    2. (Australian Aboriginal) Alternative form of fella (“used as a general intensifier”)
11. (obsolete)
    1. A colleague or partner.
       1. (specifically, also figuratively) An associate in the commission of a crime or other wrongful act; an accomplice.
    2. A close companion or friend; also, a companion or friend whom one eats or drinks with.
    3. Followed by of: one who participates in an activity; a participant.
    4. A man without good breeding or of lower social status; a common or ignoble man; also, used as a polite term of address to such a person.
    5. A person's servant or slave.
    6. (derogatory) A worthless person; a churl, a knave; also, used as a term of address to a person regarded as such.
    7. (UK, slang) Synonym of schoolmate (“a student at the same school”)
    8. (chiefly Southern US, derogatory) A black man.

Usage notes

• As regards sense 6 (“male person”), in North America the word is less likely to be used in comparison to other words that have the same purpose, such as boy, chap or guy.
• As regards sense 7 (“an individual or person regardless of gender”), where the word is used for a female person, it may allude to the person having some masculine attributes.

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English felauen, felow (“to join (someone) in companionship, friendship, partnership, etc.”) [and other forms], from felowe, felau, felawe (noun): see etymology 1.

Verb

fellow (third-person singular simple present fellows, present participle fellowing, simple past and past participle fellowed)

1. (transitive)
   1. (archaic) To address (someone) as "fellow", especially in an insulting manner (see noun sense 10.6).
   2. (chiefly passive voice, poetic, archaic) To equal (someone or something); also, to cause or find someone or something to be equal to (some other person or thing).
   3. (obsolete)
      1. To pair or suit (someone or something) with some other person or thing; also, to pair or suit someone or something with (some other person or thing); to arrange (things) in pairs.
      2. (also reflexive) Followed by to or with: to associate or join (oneself, someone, or something) with some other person or thing in companionship or a partnership.
      3. (chiefly passive voice, sometimes reflexive) Followed by to or with: to cause or portray (someone or something) to be equal to some other person or thing.
      4. (poetic) To associate or go together with (someone or something); to become a partner of (someone or something).
2. (intransitive, poetic, obsolete) Followed by with: to associate or join with a person or thing in companionship or a partnership.

Translations

References

Further reading

• fellow on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• elf owl

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfelou/ [ˈfe.lou̯]
• Rhymes: -elou
• Syllabification: fe‧llow

Noun

fellow m or f by sense (plural fellows)

1. (education) fellow