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

Throughout history, meals have been communal events fostering fellowship — and not about a group of people eating together without being able to commune. —Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026

Ideally, that medical supervision would be from an obesity medicine specialist, an expert who goes through a specific medical fellowship to help people lose weight and keep it off, says Pinto. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 9 Jan. 2026

Verb

Additional support was awarded to two curatorial research fellowships. —News Desk, Artforum, 14 Jan. 2026

The school has brought 450 doctors to the Austin area in the last 10 years, and since its first graduating class in 2020, is creating 50 new doctors a year, many of whom continue with residencies and then fellowships in the Austin-area. —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 9 Nov. 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