A derivational suffix frequent in nouns of OE origin, denoting a condition, state of being, status, rank, or an office: feondscipe, frendshipe, hethenshipe, lordshipe, refshipe, worshipe, etc.; a quality, characteristic quality, or an activity: arghshipe, frendshipe, gladshipe, godshipe, golsipe, lordshipe, warshipe, wodshipe, worshipe, yepshipe, etc.; a group of persons or a thing: metshipe, theinship, tounshipe, watershipe, worldshipe. A very active suffix in ME, -ship(e was added: (a) to nouns to form nouns denoting a condition, state of being, rank, an office, etc.: baillifship, capitainship, constableship, felaushipe, kingshipe, knightshipe, ladishipe, maistershipe, manshipe, parkershipe, steuardship, thralshipe, toun-)clerkship, etc.; (b) to nouns to form nouns denoting a quality, characteristic quality, an activity, etc.: apeship, felaushipe, ferdship, knightshipe, manshipe, rotshipe, shamshippe, shendshipe, shondeship, sothship, werkmanshipe, etc.; (c) to adjectives to form nouns denoting a quality, condition, state of being, etc.: bisishipe, boldshipe, clenshipe, dimship, dusishipe, hardishipe, hardshipe, heighshipe, hendeshipe, idelshipe, kenshipe, kindeshipe, madshipe, mildeshipe, ohtscipen, quedshipe, rechelesshipe, sadship, sharpshipe, shreuedship, treushipe, unkindeshipe, wildship, etc.