Close relationships between people characterized by mutual affection, trust, and support. The state or quality of being friends with others.
From Old English freond, originally meaning 'loving' and related to the verb freon 'to love'. The suffix -ship comes from Old English -scipe, indicating a state or condition. The word has maintained remarkable consistency across Germanic languages for over 1000 years.
Aristotle identified three types of friendships: utility (useful), pleasure (enjoyable), and virtue (based on mutual respect) - and argued that only virtue friendships last! Modern research confirms that strong friendships can add years to your life and are as important for health as exercise.
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