Revised as of 17 April 2021
While envious and jealous revolve around the same resentments and suspicions, the words are actually on either side of the fence, so to speak.
To be envious is to want something someone else has.
To be jealous is to be worried that someone wants what you have.
So when your neighbor is eyeing up the wife, he’s experiencing envy while the hubbie will experience jealousy as he worries about what the neighbor wants to take from him.
Word Confusions…
…started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noir for you from either end.
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| Envious | Jealous |
|---|---|
| Credit to: Apple Dictionary.com; Dictionary.com: envious and jealous | |
Subtle Envy by Craig Loftus is under the CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. — If that isn’t an envious look, I don’t know what is. |
Goats in Argan, Morocco, by www.twin-loc.fr is under the CC BY 2.0 license, via VisualHunt. — “Back off, buddy. The nannies are mine!” the buck proclaimed jealously. |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Adjective | Adjective |
| Lacking a desired attribute enjoyed by another
Feeling or showing discontent or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck [Archaic] Emulous
|
Something we already possess is threatened by a third person
Feeling or showing envy of someone or their successes, achievements, and/or advantages
[Often followed by of] Feeling resentment because of another’s success, advantage, etc. Characterized by or proceeding from suspicious fears or envious resentment |
| Examples: | |
| I’m envious of their happiness.
It was an envious glance Sir Howard cast. A number of countries are envious of their national health service. Helen has always been envious of Judy’s hair. Tom has a natural flair that would make anyone envious. After attending the car show, Paul was envious of the men who owned those vintage automobiles. “The mountain shall not wed the sea,” muttered the envious air.” – Eugene Field, A Little Book of Profitable Tales I suspect their discourteous manner rose from their envious hearts. There will always be those who are envious of those who succeed. |
He grew jealous of her success.
Paul is quite the jealous boyfriend. Mary was jealous of her rich brother. He was jealous of his brother’s wealth. She flew into a jealous rage. Those two were always working up jealous intrigues. The American people are jealous of their freedom. Howard is still a little jealous of his authority. They kept a jealous eye over their interests. “Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Bible NIV. Ex. 34:14). |
| Derivatives: | |
| Adjective: nonenvious, overenvious, quasi-envious, unenvious Adverb: enviously, nonenviously, overenviously, quasi-enviously, unenviously Noun: envier, envies, enviousness, envy, nonenviousness, overenviousness Verb, transitive: envied, envies, envying |
Adjective: overjealous, unjealous Adverb: jealously, overjealously, unjealously Noun: jealousies, jealousness, jealousy, overjealousness |
| History of the Word: | |
| Middle English from the Old French envieus, which is from envie meaning envy, on the pattern of the Latin invidiosus meaning invidious. | Middle English from the Old French gelos, which is from the medieval Latin zelosus, which is from a medieval Latin derivative of the Latin zelus meaning zeal, jealousy. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan…which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them…and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Pinterest Photo Credits:
Young Romance No 31, 1951a, was scanned by Chordboard and is in the public domain as well as under the CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported, the 2.5 Generic, the 2.0 Generic, or the 1.0 Generic license, via Wikimedia Commons.
