friendship

friendship

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Pronunciation

friendship

• /ˈfrɛndʃɪp/

• ˈfrɛnd

• /f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative

• /r/ - voiced alveolar approximant

• /ɛ/ - open-mid front unrounded vowel

• /n/ - voiced alveolar nasal

• /d/ - voiced alveolar stop

• ʃɪp

• /ʃ/ - voiceless postalveolar fricative

• /ɪ/ - near-close near-front unrounded vowel

• /p/ - voiceless bilabial stop

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Word Form Variations

• Singular Noun: friendship

• Plural Noun: friendships

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

• Definition 1: A close and trusting relationship between two or more individuals, typically characterized by mutual affection, support, and understanding.

• Synonyms: camaraderie, companionship, fellowship, rapport, amity

• Antonyms: animosity, hostility, enmity, antagonism, rivalry

• Definition 2: The state of being friends; the condition of having a bond of goodwill and shared interests.

• Synonyms: alliance, association, bond, connection, intimacy

• Antonyms: estrangement, alienation, detachment, isolation, disunion

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Examples of Use

• Books: "Their friendship, forged in the crucible of shared adventure, was the strongest bond they knew." (From a review of The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, The New York Times Book Review, October 1954)

• Newspapers: "The mayor emphasized the importance of international friendship and cooperation during his address to the visiting delegation." (The Guardian, March 2024)

• Online Publications: "In an era of increasing digital connection, many are exploring how online interactions can foster genuine friendship." (Wired.com, January 2025)

• Entertainment Mediums (Film): "The film beautifully explores the enduring friendship between the two main characters, even through hardship." (Review of The Banshees of Inisherin on Rotten Tomatoes, October 2022)

• Entertainment Platforms (Television): "The latest season of 'Ted Lasso' continues to highlight the power of friendship and community within a professional setting." (Commentary on Apple TV+, May 2023)

• General Public Discourse: "Building strong friendships is vital for mental well-being and a sense of belonging in any community." (Heard in a public lecture on social psychology, June 2024)

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10 Quotes Using Friendship

1. "Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything." (Muhammad Ali)

2. "A true friendship is a plant of slow growth." (George Washington)

3. "The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart." (Elisabeth Foley)

4. "I value the friendship of a person who holds me accountable, who challenges me to be better, and who celebrates my successes with me." (Oprah Winfrey)

5. "Love is blind; friendship closes its eyes." (Friedrich Nietzsche)

6. "Good friendship is like a comfortable chair." (Unknown)

7. "True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable." (David Tyson Gentry)

8. "Friendship is essentially a partnership." (Aristotle)

9. "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." (Eleanor Roosevelt)

10. "A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world." (Leo Buscaglia)

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Etymology

• "Friend": This part comes from an Old English word, frēond, which meant "one attached to another by feelings of personal regard and preference." This frēond itself came from even older Proto-Germanic words that had to do with "loving" or "being fond of." It's actually related to the idea of "free" in the sense of being loved or choosing someone freely.

• "-ship": This ending, which you see in other words like "kinship" or "hardship," comes from an Old English ending, -sciepe or -scip. It basically meant "the state, condition of being," or "a quality, power, skill, or relationship."

So, when you put them together, "friendship" literally meant "the condition of being a friend" or "the state of having a mutual liking and regard."

The first known use of "friendship" in English can be found in the Old English period, which is before the year 1150. So, people have been using this word to describe the special bond between friends for a very long time!

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Friendship

• Friendship goals: (Used to describe an ideal or aspirational level of friendship)

• A friendship bracelet: (A decorative bracelet exchanged between friends)

• To strike up a friendship: (To begin a friendship)

• To cement a friendship: (To strengthen a friendship)

• To break off a friendship: (To end a friendship)

• Friendship is thicker than water: (Suggests that the bond of friendship can be stronger than family ties, though less common than "blood is thicker than water")

• Friendship lasts forever: (A common sentiment expressing the enduring nature of true friendship)

• Friendship knows no bounds: (Emphasizes that friendship can overcome any obstacles or differences)

• To be united in friendship: (To be brought together by a shared bond of friendship)

• A bond of friendship: (A strong connection between friends)

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of friendship from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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