fee
fee
Fee (noun) means a charge or payment required for a service, privilege, or right. Example: “The university charges an application fee of fifty dollars.”
noun
1
A charge or payment required for a service, privilege, or right.
"The university charges an application fee of fifty dollars."
"There's a small fee for withdrawing cash from this machine."
"The gym charges a monthly fee, but the first week is free."
2
(law) An inheritable right or ownership interest in land.
"Under the old deed, the estate was held in fee by the family."
"The lawyer explained that owning land in fee meant it could be inherited."
"The property was held in fee simple by the family for generations."
How to use fee
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMoney you pay for a service or privilege — the legal land-ownership sense is a specialist, older meaning.
Common pairings
pay a fee
admission fee
late fee
fee simple
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Word forms
- Plural
- fees
- Third person singular
- fees
- Past tense
- feed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The university charges an application _____ of fifty dollars.
Etymology
From Old English feoh ("cattle, property, money"), blended with Old French fief — both ultimately from a Germanic word for livestock, since animals were once a measure of wealth.
Related words
Rhymes for fee
See all rhymes for fee →Frequently asked questions
What does “fee” mean?
The word “fee” means a charge or payment required for a service, privilege, or right. In plain terms, money you pay for a service or privilege — the legal land-ownership sense is a specialist, older meaning.
How do you pronounce “fee”?
“Fee” is pronounced fee (/fiː/ in IPA).
How do you use “fee” in a sentence?
Here is “fee” used in a sentence: “The university charges an application fee of fifty dollars.”
What part of speech is “fee”?
“Fee” is a noun.
Where does the word “fee” come from?
The word “fee” comes from Old French. From Old English feoh ("cattle, property, money"), blended with Old French fief — both ultimately from a Germanic word for livestock, since animals were once a measure of wealth.
Is “fee” a common word?
“Fee” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “fee” have?
“Fee” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a charge or payment required for a service, privilege, or right.
What is the difference between a fee and a fine?
A fee is a payment for a service, privilege, or right, given willingly in exchange for something, such as a membership or licence. A fine is a penalty, money you must pay for breaking a rule or law. You pay a fee to gain something; you pay a fine because you did something wrong.
What is the difference between a fee and a charge?
The two are close and often interchangeable. A charge is any amount asked for goods or services. A fee is usually a set charge tied to a specific service, privilege, or professional service, such as a legal fee or entry fee. Fee tends to sound more formal and fixed, while charge is broader and more general.
What are the types of fees?
Common examples include membership fees, entry or admission fees, tuition fees, licence fees, booking fees, and professional fees charged by lawyers, doctors, or consultants. Some are one-off, others recurring. What they share is being a required payment in return for a service, privilege, or right rather than for a physical product.
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