Fella

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /fɛ.lə/

Definitions

1. A man or boy, often used in informal or friendly conversation
2. An informal term for a male person, frequently used in casual contexts, signifying a friend or companion who is often regarded with familiarity or warmth
3. A male person, typically referenced informally ; a casual, affectionate way to denote a man or buddy

Etymology: "Fella" is a clipped form of "fellow," which is the source it comes from. The full word, "fellow," had long been used for a man, a companion, or a member of a group, and over time its informal shortening took on the friendly, slightly casual tone that still marks it today. The shortened form lets speakers sound relaxed, as when someone says "good fella" or "poor fella." The shift from "fellow" to "fella" is a matter of ordinary speech wearing down a longer word: the final syllable was dropped and the remaining one was pronounced with a softer ending. Because "fella" comes straight from "fellow," its history is essentially that of its parent word, and the dictionary-level story of how "fellow" came to mean a man is the key to understanding it.

Synonyms: guy, man, chap, dude, bloke

Antonyms: female, woman, girl, lady, person