fee
Americannoun
-
a charge or payment for professional services.
a doctor's fee.
- Synonyms:
- honorarium, emolument, salary, stipend
-
a sum paid or charged for a privilege.
an admission fee.
-
a charge allowed by law for the service of a public officer.
-
Law.
-
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.
-
an inheritable estate in land held of a feudal lord on condition of the performing of certain services.
-
a territory held in fee.
-
-
a gratuity; tip.
verb (used with object)
-
to give a fee to.
-
Chiefly Scot. to hire; employ.
noun
-
a payment asked by professional people or public servants for their services
a doctor's fee
school fees
-
a charge made for a privilege
an entrance fee
-
property law
-
an interest in land capable of being inherited See fee simple fee tail
-
the land held in fee
-
-
(in feudal Europe) the land granted by a lord to his vassal
-
an obsolete word for a gratuity
-
-
law (of land) in absolute ownership
-
archaic in complete subjection
-
verb
-
rare to give a fee to
-
to hire for a fee
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fee
1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French; Old French fie, variant of fief fief. See feudal
Explanation
A fee is the cost of something, or the amount of money charged. You might need to pay a fee when you visit your favorite state park. Clubs, national parks, and gyms all charge a fee to belong or to enter. There is also the fee that a professional charges for services, like the legal fee you pay when you hire an attorney or the fee you pay your dentist to clean your teeth. Fee has an Old French origin in the word fieu, "possession, holding, domain, or payment," from the Medieval Latin feodum, "land whose use is granted in return for service."
Vocabulary lists containing fee
Ratios and Proportional Relationships
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary Review, Unit 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fee revenue increased 11%, due to higher client activity and new business, higher market values and foreign exchange revenue and a favorable impact of a weaker U.S. dollar.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
Enzo Le Fee picked out Nordi Mukiele and his low cross reached Diarra, whose initial effort was blocked before he pounced on the rebound to blast past Dubravka's weak attempted save.
From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026
Due to changes finalized in the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, spending on skin substitutes is expected to drop by 90%, CMS said.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 16, 2025
Fee said: "He knew that there'd be nobody up there. He was prowling."
From BBC • Jun. 25, 2025
And out goes He, With a fol-de-rol-derido for the Five Guinea Fee.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
