- a man or boy
an informal word for boyfriend - informal one or oneself: a fellow has to eat
- a person considered to be of little importance or worth
- (often plural) a companion; comrade; associate
- (as modifier): fellow travellers
- a member of the governing body or established teaching staff at any of various universities or colleges
- a person in the same group, class, or condition: if in doubt, ask your fellows their opinions
- (as modifier): fellow students, a fellow sufferer
- one of a pair; counterpart; mate
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
fel•low /ˈfɛloʊ/USA pronunciation
n.
adj. [before a noun]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [countable]
- a man or boy:a handsome fellow.
- Informal Termsa person;
one:They don't treat a fellow very well here. - a companion;
comrade;
associate:his fellows at work. - Educationa graduate student to whom an allowance is granted for special study.
- a member of any of certain learned societies:a fellow of the British Academy.
adj. [before a noun]
- belonging to the same class or group:fellow students.
fel•low
(fel′ō),USA pronunciation n.
v.t.
adj.
- a man or boy:a fine old fellow; a nice little fellow.
- Informal Termsbeau;
suitor:Mary had her fellow over to meet her folks. - Informal Termsperson;
one:They don't treat a fellow very well here. - a person of small worth or no esteem.
- a companion;
comrade;
associate:They have been fellows since childhood. - a person belonging to the same rank or class;
equal;
peer:The doctor conferred with his fellows. - one of a pair;
mate;
match:a shoe without its fellow. - Education
- a graduate student of a university or college to whom an allowance is granted for special study.
- Education[Brit.]an incorporated member of a college, entitled to certain privileges.
- a member of the corporation or board of trustees of certain universities or colleges.
- a member of any of certain learned societies:a fellow of the British Academy.
- [Obs.]a partner.
v.t.
- to make or represent as equal with another.
- [Archaic.]to produce a fellow to;
match.
adj.
- belonging to the same class or group;
united by the same occupation, interests, etc.;
being in the same condition:fellow students; fellow sufferers.
- Old Norse fēlagi partner in a joint undertaking, equivalent. to fē money, property (cognate with Old English feoh, German Vieh) + -lagi bedfellow, comrade; akin to lair1, lie2
- Middle English felowe, felawe, late Old English fēolaga bef. 1050
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
fellow /ˈfɛləʊ/ n
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Fellow /ˈfɛləʊ/ n
- a member of any of various learned societies: Fellow of the British Academy