Fellowship, n.
Etymology: [Fellow + -ship.]
1. The state or relation of being or associate.
2. Companionship of persons on equal and friendly terms; frequent and familiar intercourse. In a great town, friends are scattered, so that there is not that fellowship which is in less neighborhods. Bacon. Men are made for society and mutual fellowship. Calamy.
3. A state of being together; companionship; partnership; association; hence, confederation; joint interest. The great contention of the sea and skies Parted our fellowship. Shak. Fellowship in pain divides not smart. Milton. Fellowship in woe doth woe assuage. Shak. The goodliest fellowship of famous knights, Whereof this world holds record. Tennyson.
4. Those associated with one, as in a family, or a society; a company. The sorrow of Noah with his fellowship. Chaucer. With that a joyous fellowship issued Of minstrels. Spenser.
2 more senses
5. (Eng. & Amer. Universities) A foundation for the maintenance, on certain conditions, of a scholar called a fellow, who usually resides at the university.
6. (Arith.) The rule for dividing profit and loss among partners; -- called also partnership, company, and distributive proportion.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Fellowship, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fellowshiped (; p. pr. & vb. n.. Fellowshiping.]
(Eccl.) To acknowledge as of good standing, or in communion according to standards of faith and practice; to admit to Christian fellowship.
Good fellowship
companionableness; the spirit and disposition befitting comrades. There's neither honesty, manhood, nor good fellowship in thee. Shak.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for fellowship; he lists it under acquaintance, association.
Where he writes about it:
Fellowship involves not merely acquaintance and companionship, but sympathy as well. — from acquaintance
There may be much friendship without much fellowship, as between those whose homes or pursuits are far apart. — from acquaintance
There may be pleasant fellowship which does not reach the fulness of friendship. — from acquaintance