fee — a payment made to a professional person or to a professional or public body in exchange for advice or services
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a payment made to a professional person or to a professional or public body in exchange for advice or services
Pronunciation (IPA): /fiː/
Example Sentences
- The gym membership fee includes unlimited access to the sauna and pool.
- I was shocked when the doctor charged a consultation fee just for saying 'drink more water'.
- The university increased its tuition fees by 10% this year.
fee
NOUN[/fiː/]
a payment made to a professional person or to a professional or public body in exchange for advice or services
Students paid a small fee to enter the science museum.
The lawyer explained the service fee before starting the case. (PAY + SERVICE = FEE)
People happily thought it was free until they discovered a hidden fee.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Fee derives from Middle English 'fee', which came from Old French 'fief', meaning land or property granted by a feudal lord to a vassal. The term originally denoted a feudal estate, but evolved to mean payment or compensation for services by the early modern period.
Breakdown
fief (feudal estate/fief) → fee (payment/compensation). The word underwent semantic shift from a tangible feudal holding to an abstract monetary payment.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The gym membership fee includes unlimited access to the sauna and pool.”
“I was shocked when the doctor charged a consultation fee just for saying 'drink more water'.”
“The university increased its tuition fees by 10% this year.”
“My bank charges a fee for everything except breathing - and I'm sure they're working on that too.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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