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 ESG funds have higher fees and lower performance results than regular funds.

From Salon

The fee he would command would be one of the highest among the possible options but at his age he'd be an investment a longer period too.

From BBC

Cable channels have long been a key economic pillar by generating billions of dollars in cable distribution fees that more than covered up the misses when big-budget movies flopped or during advertising recessions.

From Los Angeles Times

A banana that for years has stirred controversy in the art world sold for $6.2 million with fees at Sotheby’s contemporary art auction on Wednesday night.

From New York Times

Rent for the gym was paid by SHE, which also received fees paid by Wirral Council to place pupils at Life School.

From BBC

Related Words

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