fellow

[ fel-oh ]

noun

1. a man or boy:

   a fine old fellow; a nice little fellow.

2. Informal. beau; suitor:

   Mary had her fellow over to meet her folks.

3. Informal. person; one:

   They don't treat a fellow very well here.

4. a person of small worth or no esteem.
5. a companion; comrade; associate:

   They have been fellows since childhood.

6. a person belonging to the same rank or class; equal; peer:

   The doctor conferred with his fellows.

7. one of a pair; mate; match:

   a shoe without its fellow.

8. Education.
   1. a graduate student of a university or college to whom an allowance is granted for special study.
   2. British. an incorporated member of a college, entitled to certain privileges.
   3. a member of the corporation or board of trustees of certain universities or colleges.
9. a member of any of certain learned societies:

   a fellow of the British Academy.

10. Obsolete. a partner.

verb (used with object)

1. to make or represent as equal with another.
2. Archaic. to produce a fellow to; match.

adjective

1. belonging to the same class or group; united by the same occupation, interests, etc.; being in the same condition:

   fellow students; fellow sufferers.

Fellow

¹

/ ˈfɛləʊ /

noun

1. a member of any of various learned societies

   Fellow of the British Academy

fellow

²

/ ˈfɛləʊ /

noun

1. a man or boy
2. an informal word for boyfriend
3. informal.
   one or oneself

   a fellow has to eat

4. a person considered to be of little importance or worth
5. 1. often plural a companion; comrade; associate
   2. ( as modifier )

      fellow travellers

6. (at Oxford and Cambridge universities) a member of the governing body of a college, who is usually a member of the teaching staff
7. a member of the governing body or established teaching staff at any of various universities or colleges
8. a postgraduate student employed, esp for a fixed period, to undertake research and, often, to do some teaching
9. 1. a person in the same group, class, or condition

      the surgeon asked his fellows

   2. ( as modifier )

      a fellow sufferer

      fellow students

10. one of a pair; counterpart; mate

    looking for the glove's fellow

Word History and Origins

Origin of fellow¹

before 1050; Middle English felowe, felawe, late Old English fēolaga < Old Norse fēlagi partner in a joint undertaking, equivalent to fē money, property (cognate with Old English feoh, German Vieh ) + -lagi bedfellow, comrade; akin to lair ¹, lie ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of fellow¹

Old English fēolaga , from Old Norse fēlagi , one who lays down money, from fē money + lag a laying down

Idioms and Phrases

see regular guy (fellow) ; strange bedfellows .

Example Sentences

On Dec. 22, 1799, Sands told her cousins that she would be leaving to elope with a fellow boarder named Levi Weeks that night.

From The Daily Beast

He has even joked about how his fellow Republicans attack him.

From The Daily Beast

At least 29 fellow Republicans must vote against Boehner for a second ballot to be reached, and that seems very unlikely.

From The Daily Beast

Instead, I spend much of my time criticizing my fellow atheists.

From The Daily Beast

An atheist counsels his fellow non-believers on how not to talk to people of faith.

From The Daily Beast

It was one of those long moments that makes a fellow draw his breath sharp when he thinks about it afterward.

From Project Gutenberg

He controlled himself betimes, bethinking him that, after all, there might be some reason in what this fat fellow said.

From Project Gutenberg

Man's enthusiasm in praise of a fellow mortal, is soon damped by the original sin of his nature—rebellious pride!

From Project Gutenberg

It beats punching cows, though—that is, when a fellow discovers that he isn't a successful cowpuncher.

From Project Gutenberg

Don't chaff, Shirtings; you're a very good fellow, you know, but I'm not in a laughing humour.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• boy
• chap
• dude
• guy
• lad
• man