fellowship

American  

[fel-oh-ship] / ˈfɛl oʊˌʃɪp /

noun

fellowships plural

1. the condition or relation of being a companion or peer.

   We all belong to the fellowship of humankind.

2. friendly relationship; companionship.

   the fellowship of father and son.

   Synonyms:

   intimacy, society, friendship, camaraderie, comradeship

3. community of interest, feeling, etc.

4. communion, as between members of the same church.

5. friendliness.

6. an association of persons having similar tastes, interests, etc.

7. a company, guild, or corporation.

8. Education.

   1. the body of fellows in a college or university.

   2. the position or emoluments of a fellow of a college or university, or the sum of money they receive.

   3. a foundation for the maintenance of a fellow in a college or university.

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verb (used with object)

fellowshipped, fellowshiped, fellowshipping, fellowshiping

1. to admit (someone) to fellowship, especially religious communion or community.

   Rather than rejecting the stranger in your midst, welcome her and fellowship her.

verb (used without object)

fellowshipped, fellowshiped, fellowshipping, fellowshiping

1. to join in fellowship, especially religious communion or community.

fellowship British  

/ ˈfɛləʊˌʃɪp /

noun

1. the state of sharing mutual interests, experiences, activities, etc

2. a society of people sharing mutual interests, experiences, activities, etc; club

3. companionship; friendship

4. the state or relationship of being a fellow

5. 1. mutual trust and charitableness between Christians

   2. a Church or religious association

6. education

   1. a financed research post providing study facilities, privileges, etc, often in return for teaching services

   2. a foundation endowed to support a postgraduate research student

   3. an honorary title carrying certain privileges awarded to a postgraduate student

7. (often capital) the body of fellows in a college, university, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fellowships
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fellowship

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English felauship(e); see origin at fellow, -ship

Explanation

A grant given by a university or foundation to a scholar for research or study is a fellowship. If you get a fellowship to do research on insects, it might bug your colleagues who didn't get one. Use fellowship to refer to someone's company or companionship. Your grandmother might prefer the fellowship of people her own age, since they remember the same historic events as she does and know the same songs. A fellowship is also a community of people who share common beliefs or interests. A fellowship of knitters might meet weekly at a cafe in your town to exchange ideas and knit together.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fellowship fellowships fellowshiping fellowshipped fellowshipping

Certain evangelical leaders may be politically and personally odious, but millions of Americans have flooded into nondenominational churches in search of biblical preaching, youth programs, fellowship, forgiveness and music.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

“There’s so much to do. Everyone separated. It’s beneficial to have a group text, a fellowship like this, where you can hear someone going through the same thing as you,” Singleton says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

In 2004, Sir Elton was awarded fellowship of the Ivors Academy, and his old collaborator, the late George Michael, also had that honour bestowed upon him on Thursday - 10 years after his death.

From BBC ● May 21, 2026

Jaclyn is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and a recipient of Fulbright's Young Professional Journalist fellowship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

We strengthened Wick so that he could infiltrate your shadow fellowship and take on the role of the Lucera; Or Lucero, in his case, one of the other Sorrows added.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Corporate PhD fellowships from leading technology companies are valuable, but they are filters, not pipelines.

From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026

The Carnegie Foundation offered prestigious fellowships, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences convened a blue-ribbon commission.

From Slate ● May 1, 2026

She's also received fellowships from the National Press Foundation and the Lilly Endowment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026

Wiseman was also awarded Guggenheim and MacArthur Prize fellowships.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026

The fellowships had been established by the National Research Council to support candidates from among the top 5 percent of PhDs in the country, making it an invaluable guide to a prospective candidate’s scientific ability.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

What is to hinder any Christian member of Calvary Church from working and fellowshiping with those churches, if he cannot put in his service in the tenement district?

From The Crucifixion of Philip Strong by Sheldon, Charles Monroe

Throughout the process, they "fellowshipped, sang hymns, and prayed until most of them were released," it added.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

Now, he needs to summon his party back to its better angels, as he displayed recently when he graciously fellowshipped with a group of Virginia Muslim leaders in Henrico.

From Washington Post ● May 6, 2022

At the Whigs' Kit-Cat Club, Addison and Congreve fellowshipped with statesmen and lords; at the Tories' Scriblerus, Swift and his friends forgathered.

From Time Magazine Archive

As a simple laborer he had fellowshipped with them but they acknowledged and availed themselves of his leadership, because they felt instinctively in him a power which they did not have.

From The Strength of Gideon and Other Stories by Dunbar, Paul Laurence

Anyhow, he never joined the G.A.R. or fellowshipped with the soldiers after the war.

From Vandemark's Folly by Quick, Herbert

“It’s about socializing, and fellowshipping and finding places for common ground,” said Kamlager-Dove, who served in the state Legislature with Obernolte.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2024

Some are even establishing brick-and-mortar locations where tastings, events, and fellowshipping around alcohol-free living can flourish.

From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2023

These joys exist by way of family gatherings, community affairs like block parties, and other forms of fellowshipping, with one thing tying all of these types of events together –– dancing.

From Salon ● Apr. 1, 2021

“People really enjoyed seeing each other from their little bubbles, fellowshipping a bit,” said Hanson, 60, a third-generation Midwestern pastor who’s led this congregation for 28 years.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 7, 2020

There’s no communion, no theatrics, just fellowshipping that connects them to the biblically tinged, living-as-God-intended ethos which fed early strains of nudism.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 25, 2019