fee

[ fee ]

noun

1. a charge or payment for professional services:

   a doctor's fee.

   Synonyms: honorarium, emolument, salary, stipend

2. a sum paid or charged for a privilege:

   an admission fee.

3. a charge allowed by law for the service of a public officer.
4. Law.
   1. an estate of inheritance in land, either absolute and without limitation to any particular class of heirs fee simple or limited to a particular class of heirs fee tail.
   2. an inheritable estate in land held of a feudal lord on condition of the performing of certain services.
   3. a territory held in fee.
5. a gratuity; tip.

verb (used with object)

, feed, fee·ing.

1. to give a fee to.
2. Chiefly Scot. to hire; employ.

fee

/ fiː /

noun

1. a payment asked by professional people or public servants for their services

   school fees

   a doctor's fee

2. a charge made for a privilege

   an entrance fee

3. property law
   1. an interest in land capable of being inherited See fee simple fee tail
   2. the land held in fee
4. (in feudal Europe) the land granted by a lord to his vassal
5. an obsolete word for a gratuity
6. in fee
   1. law (of land) in absolute ownership
   2. in complete subjection

verb

1. rare.
   to give a fee to
2. to hire for a fee

Derived Forms

• ˈfeeless, adjective

Other Words From

• feeless adjective
• over·fee noun
• super·fee noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fee¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French; Old French fie, variant of fief fief. See feudal

Word History and Origins

Origin of fee¹

C14: from Old French fie , of Germanic origin; see fief

Example Sentences

Some vendors add an extra fee for credit card charges under $50; if you plan to spend many hundreds of dollars, a debit or credit card should be fine, but if you just want a smaller display for a dinner party, you can save yourself some dough by paying in cash.

From Los Angeles Times

New general manager Will Kuntz has completely remade the team’s roster in the last 15 months, but Pec, who cost the club a record $10-million transfer fee, was just one of a half-dozen players Kuntz pursued last winter — and his name wasn’t necessarily at the top of that list.

From Los Angeles Times

These contracts expire in 2025, and it's possible that the anti-dilution fee will go up considerably in the new ones from 2026.

From BBC

The Dallas City Council had imposed a 5-cent fee for single-use bags for five months in 2015 before repealing the fee when the city faced lawsuits from plastic bag manufacturers.

From Science Daily

Tickets cost £373.50, including a £5 booking fee - an increase of £18.50 on 2024.

From BBC

Related Words

• account
• bill
• commission
• compensation
• cost
• cut
• expense
• pay
• payment
• price
• reward
• salary
• share
• stipend
• wage