fella

American  

[fel-uh] / ˈfɛl ə /

noun

Informal.

1. fellow.

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fella British  

/ ˈfɛlə /

noun

1. a nonstandard variant of fellow

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Usage

What does fella mean? Fella is a very informal way of saying fellow—a general term for a man or boy.Fella can be used as an informal term of address similar to terms like dude, buddy, or pal, as in Hey, fella, what’s new with you? In this way, it’s perhaps most commonly used to refer to or address a male animal, especially a pet, as in Hey, little fella, you’re the cutest!It can also be used by a man to refer to himself, as in Where can a fella find a hot meal around here?Most senses of fella (and fellow) sound old-timey and aren’t commonly used (other than to sound old-timey).However, the plural form, fellas, is somewhat commonly used, especially by men or boys as an informal and familiar way to refer to their male friends (the fellas) or as a way to address them, in much the same way as the term guys.Fella is also used in the informal phrase big fella, referring to a particularly large man or object, as in He’s a big fella, ain’t he?Example: Jen’s having a night out with the ladies, so I’m going to stay here and hang with the fellas.

Etymology

Origin of fella

feller ¹

Example Sentences

"The bravery, strength and courage shown by this family were extraordinary, especially the young fella who swam 4km to raise the alarm," Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group said.

From BBC

She added: "I love all the groups of girls all coming down together and the fellas all in groups."

From BBC

Messages of congratulations immediately flooded in on social media, including one from Macclesfield Town Council, which said: "Amazing work fellas!"

From BBC

However often, "a few choice barks" or "a stern look from the big fella" is all it takes to de-escalate the situation, the senior officer added.

From BBC

Isaac: We only met briefly in Guillermo’s office at one point, and he seemed like a nice young fella.

From Los Angeles Times