# fellow

Pronunciation: say "FEL-oh" US /ˈfɛloʊ/, UK /ˈfɛləʊ/

## Noun

1. Informal: a man or boy, or more loosely any person, often with a describing word, as in 'a decent fellow' or 'poor fellow'. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Informal: a man, or sometimes any person.
   - _He seemed a decent fellow, always quick to lend a hand._
   - _My dear fellow, you really mustn't worry so much about it._
2. A person, animal, or thing of the same kind or group as another, or one of a matching set or pair.
   - Simple: Another person, animal, or thing of the same kind, or the other one of a pair or set.
   - _This species, like its fellow in the next valley, thrives in dry soil._
   - _In the museum's crowded hall, one small portrait stands out clearly from its fellows._
3. A companion or comrade; someone who shares another's activities, situation, or fortunes.
   - Simple: A friend or companion who shares your life, work, or situation.
   - _After the mine collapsed, he refused to leave until every one of his fellows was brought up safely._
   - _The sailors looked out for their fellows during the long voyage._
4. A person holding a fellowship: a paid post for a fixed term, devoted to research or advanced study. In North America it also means a doctor doing supervised specialist training after residency.
   - Simple: Someone given a special post for a set time to do research or advanced training.
   - _He spent two years as a fellow studying medieval manuscripts._
   - _The college funds several fellows to pursue independent research._
5. A member, often a senior one, of a learned or professional society.
   - Simple: A person chosen as a special member of a group for learning or a profession.
   - _She was named a fellow of the Royal Society for her work in genetics._
   - _After decades of research, he was elected a fellow of the national academy of engineers._
6. A member of the governing or teaching body of a college or similar institution, or a distinguished person given this title as an honor.
   - Simple: A senior member of a college, or someone given that title as an honor.
   - _She was elected a fellow of the college after years of research._
   - _The fellows voted on the new appointments that fall._
8. In a company, a researcher or technical expert of senior rank, especially in research and development. *(US)*
   - Simple: A senior expert in a company, especially one who does research and develops new things.
   - _He was named a fellow at the firm for his work on battery design._
   - _After twenty years of designing new chips, she was named a fellow, the highest rank for engineers at the company._
9. An animal or object, referred to playfully or ironically as though it were a person.
   - Simple: An animal or thing, talked about in a joking, friendly way as if it were a person.
   - _The crab scuttled sideways, a determined little fellow heading for the surf._
   - _The ancient kettle whistled away, a reliable old fellow on the stove._
14. A member of a college or university charged with managing its business and financial interests. *(US)*
   - Simple: A member of a college or university who looks after its money and business.
   - _The board appointed her a fellow responsible for the endowment._
   - _The fellows reviewed the institution's investments each quarter._
15. A senior member of an Inn of Court, one of the London societies that train barristers and call them to the bar. *(British)*
   - Simple: A senior member of an English Inn of Court, where lawyers were trained.

## Noun

7. A contemporary of another person, or someone close in age, particularly one working or studying in the same field. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A person of the same age or time as another, especially in the same kind of work.
10. An equal in ability, worth, rank, or character; a peer or match, usually in 'has no fellow'. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: Someone or something just as good or important as another. An equal.
11. A colleague or partner; someone who shares one's work, business, or undertaking. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Someone who works with you or shares a business or task with you.
12. Originally a person's spouse or partner of either sex, or an animal's mate; in later use, a woman's male lover, boyfriend, or husband. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A woman's husband, boyfriend, or other male partner in love.
13. A partner in a crime or other wrongdoing; an accomplice. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A person who helps another commit a crime, also called an accomplice.
16. A commoner, or a man lacking good breeding; also, a courteous way to address a man of that kind. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A man of low social rank or poor manners, and once also a polite way to address him.
17. A worthless person; a churl or knave; also a term of address to someone regarded as such. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A worthless, low person, such as a scoundrel or rogue.
18. A person employed or held as another's servant or slave. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A person who serves another as a servant or slave.
20. An offensive and now obsolete term for a black man. *(obsolete, Southern US)*
   - Simple: An offensive, old-fashioned word for a black man.

## Verb

19. To equal someone or something; also, to cause or find someone or something to be equal to another. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To be equal to someone or something, or to match them.

## Other meanings

- (noun) In Australian Aboriginal English, a variant of fella added after words like this or big for emphasis.
- (noun) With of, a person who shares or takes part in something.
- (verb) To call someone fellow, often as a way of showing contempt.
- (verb) To match one person or thing with another, or to group things two by two.
- (verb) To make oneself, a person, or a thing the companion or partner of another. Used with to or with.
- (verb) To put a person or thing on a level with another, or show them as matching. Used with to or with.
- (verb) To keep company with someone or something, or join them as a partner.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–18, 20** — Old Norse félagi was borrowed into Old English as fēolaga, which became Middle English felowe. The Norse word came from félag, which meant "joint venture, partnership" and literally "a laying together of property." It was made of fé ("livestock, property, money") and lag ("something laid down, companionship, partnership").
**Meaning 19** — This verb was formed from the Middle English noun felowe (see the noun fellow). In Middle English it was felauen or felow, meaning "to join someone in companionship, friendship, or partnership."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/fellow (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).