Appended to a noun to form a new noun denoting a property or state of being, time spent in a role, or a specialised union. In particular, the way a set of social duties associated with a particular role shapes or develops one's character.
A calque of Middle English borweschipe, equivalent to borrow + -ship. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Buurchskup (“suretiship”), Dutch borgschap (“suretiship”), German Low German Börgskupp, Börgschop (“suretiship”), German Bürgschaft (“suretiship”)