fee

American  

[fee] / fi /

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.

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verb (used with object)

feed, feeing

1. to give a fee to.

2. Chiefly Scot. to hire; employ.

fee British  

/ fiː /

noun

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

   a doctor's fee

   school fees

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. 1. law (of land) in absolute ownership

   2. archaic in complete subjection

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verb

1. rare to give a fee to

2. to hire for a fee

Other Word Forms

• feeless adjective
• overfee noun
• superfee noun

Etymology

Origin of fee

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

Example Sentences

UPS in March announced a 64 cent per-pound surge fee for items moving from the U.S. to 15 countries in the Middle East.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

The temporary fee goes into effect April 17 for many of the sellers who use Amazon’s warehouses and delivery services to store inventory and ship orders.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

More broadly, Tarlowe believes the Sam’s Club move could trigger higher fee levels across the category, and supports long‑term revenue and profit assumptions for membership-based warehouse retailers.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

The Reds signed Isak from Newcastle United for a British record transfer fee in September.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

When he’d started out, he’d decided not to charge his investors the usual 2 percent or so management fee for his services.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

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