entry
fellowship
/ˈfɛloʊʃɪp/Companionship, association, or a shared community
From O.Norse, via Old English and Middle English fellow (Partner or companion in a shared venture) + O.English, Germanic ship (Vessel).
from Middle English felowschipe, felawshipe, felaȝschyp, equivalent to fellow + -ship; or perhaps adapted
Word Ancestry
from Middle English felowschipe, felawshipe, felaȝschyp, equivalent to fellow + -ship; or perhaps adapted
A fellowship began with an economic image, not a mystical one: an Old Norse félagi was someone who put property or money down with you in a joint venture. In other words, your fellow was the person whose fortunes were literally lashed to yours. English later attached -ship, the old word for a ship or vessel, to express a condition or relationship—so fellowship became the shared vessel carrying companions together. By about 1200, Middle English felowschipe meant “companionship,” while by the 1530s it had acquired the academic sense of a privileged college position. The word has even taken some surprising detours: medieval English could use “carnal fellowship” as a euphemism for sexual intercourse, and today “fellowship” can describe everything from a medical training post to a poker group pursuing one quest. Remember it as a social vessel: your fellows are the passengers, and fellowship is the ship they travel in together.
The Story
A fellowship began with an economic image, not a mystical one: an Old Norse félagi was someone who put property or money down with you in a joint venture. In other words, your fellow was the person whose fortunes were literally lashed to yours. English later attached -ship, the old word for a ship or vessel, to express a condition or relationship—so fellowship became the shared vessel carrying companions together. By about 1200, Middle English felowschipe meant “companionship,” while by the 1530s it had acquired the academic sense of a privileged college position. The word has even taken some surprising detours: medieval English could use “carnal fellowship” as a euphemism for sexual intercourse, and today “fellowship” can describe everything from a medical training post to a poker group pursuing one quest. Remember it as a social vessel: your fellows are the passengers, and fellowship is the ship they travel in together.
Modern Usage
Among poker players, a gathering or group of elite players cooperating toward a shared goal; also informal enjoyment among friends
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary entries describing a poker fellowship and friendly revelry
Kin & Kindred
From 'fellow'·Partner or companion in a shared venture
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'ship'·Vessel; later an abstract suffix
Derived Terms
English words from this root