(fĕlˈō)
nouna. A man or boy.
b. Informal A boyfriend.
- A comrade or associate.
a. A person of equal rank, position, or background; a peer.
b. One of a pair; a mate: found the lost shoe and its fellow.
- A member of a learned society.
- A graduate student appointed to a position granting financial aid and providing for further study.
- Chiefly British
a. An incorporated senior member of certain colleges and universities.
b. A member of the governing body of certain colleges and universities.
- Obsolete A person of a lower social class.
adjective Being of the same kind, group, occupation, society, or locality; having in common certain characteristics or interests: fellow workers.
Word History: A jolly good fellow might or might not be the ideal business associate, but the ancestor of our word
fellow definitely referred to a business partner.
Fellow was borrowed into English from Old Norse
fēlagi, meaning “a partner or shareholder of any kind.” Old Norse
fēlagi is derived from
fēlag, “partnership,” a compound made up of
fē, “livestock, property, money,” and
lag, “a laying in order” and “fellowship.” The notion of putting one's property together lies behind the senses of
fēlagi meaning “partner” and “consort.” In Old Icelandic
fēlagi also had the general sense “fellow, mate, comrade,” which
fellow has as well, indicating perhaps that most partnerships turned out all right for speakers of Old Icelandic.