A Fellow Was Someone Who Laid Down Money With You
A fellow is a companion or an academic member. The Old Norse original meant a business partner who pooled capital.
A fellow is a companion, an equal, or a member of a learned society. The origin is commercial: Old Norse *felagi* combines *fe*, money or cattle, with *lag*, a laying down — a fellow was someone who put money into a joint venture with you. Partnership came first, friendship second.
- A companion. *A fellow traveller.*
- A man (informal). *A decent fellow.*
- A society member. *A Fellow of the Royal Society.*
- A funded researcher. *A research fellow.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | fellow | A young fellow. |
| Plural | fellows | Fellows of the college. |
| Noun | fellowship | A research fellowship. |
| Adjective | fellow | Fellow students. |
| Related | fee | A registration fee. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He was elected a Fellow.Learned societies.
- Fellow passengers were evacuated.Adjective: sharing the situation.
- A fellowship funds research.Academia.
Norse words in English
- Fellow — a partner in a venture
- Law — from Old Norse *lag*
- Sky, skin, skirt — the SK sound often marks Norse origin
- Husband — from a Norse word for householder
- They, them, their — the pronouns themselves are Norse
From Old Norse *felagi*, a partner, from *fe*, money or livestock, and *lag*, a laying down. The same *fe* gives English *fee*.
Are fee and fellow related?
Yes. Both descend from a word meaning cattle or money, cattle having been a common measure of wealth.
What is an academic fellow?
Usage varies. It can mean an elected member of a learned society, a senior member of a college, or a funded researcher.