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Brethren vs Fellowship - What's the difference?

brethren | fellowship |

As nouns the difference between brethren and fellowship

is that brethren is (in the plural|informal) any brethren denomination (usually preceded by "the" or "the") while fellowship is a company of people that share the same interest or aim.

As an adjective brethren

is of or pertaining to any religious group that uses or formerly used the word "brethren", capitalized, in referring to itself or its members.

As a verb fellowship is

to admit to fellowship, enter into fellowship with; to make feel welcome by showing friendship or building a cordial relationship.

brethren

English

Noun

(head)
  • (archaic)
  • (figuratively) the body of members, especially of a fraternal, religious or military order

    • Usage notes

    The plural "brethren" is generally used for members of an organization, especially a religious body, whereas the plural "brothers" is used in the familial sense as well as for larger groups.

    See also

    * Brethren * brother * sistren and nun * friar and frater or father * brotherhood, sisterhood * fraternity * siblings

    fellowship

    English

    (fellow)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A company of people that share the same interest or aim.
  • A feeling of friendship, relatedness or connection between people.
  • A merit-based scholarship.
  • A temporary position at an academic institution with limited teaching duties and ample time for research; this may also be called a postdoc.
  • (medicine) A period of supervised, sub-specialty medical training in the United States and Canada that a physician may undertake after completing a specialty training program or residency.
  • (Christianity) Spiritual communion with a divine being.
    • The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14, ESV))

    Verb

  • To admit to fellowship, enter into fellowship with; to make feel welcome by showing friendship or building a cordial relationship.
    • ''The Bishop's family fellowshipped the new converts.
    The Society of Religious Snobs refused to fellowship the poor, immigrant family.
  • * Sidney John Hervon Herrtage (editor), The early English versions of the Gesta Romanorum'', first edition (1879), anthology, published for The Early English Text Society by N. Trübner & Co., translation of ''(Gesta Romanorum) by anon., xxxiv. 135, (Harl. MS. c.1440), page 135:
    • Then pes seynge hir sistris alle in acorde...she turnid ayene; For whenne contencions & styf wer' cessid, then pes was felashipid among hem.
  • *:: Then Peace saw her sisters all in accord...she turned again; for when contentions and strife were ceased, then Peace was fellowshipped among them.
  • To join in fellowship; to associate with.
    • The megachurch he attends is too big for making personal connections, so he also fellowships weekly in one of the church's small groups.
    After she got married, she stopped fellowshipping with the singles in our church.
  • * (Hans Kurath) quoting (Nicholas Love) (translator), (The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ)'', fifth edition (1989), quoted in ''Middle English Dictionary'', translation of ''Meditationes Vitae Christi by (Pseudo-Bonaventura), (Gibbs MS. c.1400), page 463:
    • Oure lorde Jesu came in manere of a pilgrym and felauschipped' [Aldh ' felischippede ] with hem.
  • *:: Our lord Jesus came in the manner of a pilgrim and fellowshipped with them.