A fellow is someone who shares something in common with you: a fellow student sits in your classroom, a fellow citizen lives in your country, a fellow traveler rides the same train. The word emphasizes connection and equality. When you call someone your fellow, you're saying “we're in this together.”

You'll often see fellow used before another word to show this shared experience: fellow passengers on an airplane, fellow campers around a campfire, fellow readers who love the same book series. It creates a sense of belonging and mutual understanding.

The word can also mean a member of a learned society or academic group. A fellow of the Royal Society is a scientist recognized for important contributions to knowledge. Universities award fellowships to support advanced students or researchers, giving them money and time to pursue their studies.

In older or more formal usage, fellow can simply mean a man or boy, though this sounds quite old-fashioned today. You might encounter this in classic literature when someone refers to “a curious fellow” or “a brave fellow.”