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

Starting with the 2026-27 academic year, the Pentagon will discontinue graduate-level professional military education, fellowships and certificate programs, the statement said. —Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026

Three months ago, GE Vernova struck a $50 million partnership with MIT, covering research funding, graduate student fellowships, internships, and professional development programs for its own executives. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026

Verb

For the third year in a row, Vital Impacts awarded seven environmental photography fellowships totalling $50,000, along with eleven mentorships, to photographers narrating the complex relationship between humanity and the planet, chosen among 526 submissions across 86 countries. —Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 16 Jan. 2026

Additional support was awarded to two curatorial research fellowships. —News Desk, Artforum, 14 Jan. 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