Learn English – Female equivalent of “fellow”

analogysingle-word-requests

If sistren is the female equivalent of brethren, what is the female equivalent of fellow? Words usually paired are: guy/gal; man/woman; boy/girl; lad/lass; brethren/sistren; fraternity/sorority; but I have seen nothing for fellow.

Best Answer

According to Etymology Online, fellow has been:

Used familiarly since mid-15c. for "man, male person," but not etymologically masculine.

It would be perfectly acceptable to call a woman a fellow traveler, for instance.

A similarly toned word for a woman, but not related to fellow, might be simply lady, or woman, as in, "my dear lady...".

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