fee

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   An amount charged for a privilege.

   late fee

2. 2
   noun

   An amount charged for professional services.

   legal fees

3. 3
   noun

   Synonym of possession.

   Once did she hold the gorgeous East in fee;

4. 4
   noun

   A prize or reward. Only used in the set phrase "A finder's fee" in Modern English.

   For though sweet love to conquer glorious bee, / Yet is the paine thereof much greater than the fee.

5. 5
   verb

   To reward for services performed, or to be performed; to recompense; to hire or keep in hire; hence, to bribe.

   In vain for Hellebore the patient cries / And fees the doctor; but too late is wise

6. 6
   name

   A diminutive of the female given name Fiona.

   Then turning to Fiona, she said, “Fee, I'll only be a minute. […]

7. 7
   noun

   an interest in land capable of being inherited

8. 8
   noun

   a fixed charge for a privilege or for professional services

Etymology

From Middle English fee, fe, feh, feoh, from Old English feoh (“cattle, property, wealth, money, payment, tribute, fee”) with contamination from Old French fieu, fief (from Medieval Latin fevum, a variant of feudum (see feud), from Frankish *fehu (“cattle, livestock”); whence fief), both from Proto-Germanic *fehu (“cattle, sheep, livestock, owndom”), from Proto-Indo-European *péḱu (“livestock”). Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian Fäi (“cattle, livestock”), West Frisian fee (“livestock”), Cimbrian biighe, viighe (“animal, beast”), Dutch vee (“cattle, livestock”), German Viech (“animal, bea…