Jealousy – Meaning in English

Word: Jealousy

Part of Speech: Noun
Pronunciation: ˈjeləsē
Category: General

Jealousy Definition

Jealousy is a feeling of unhappiness and anger because someone has something or someone that you want. It's a complex emotion that often includes feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety.

Usage Notes

Jealousy is often confused with envy. While jealousy involves wanting what someone else has, envy is wanting something that you don't have.

Example Sentences

  • His success has always aroused jealousy among his peers.
  • Her jealousy led her to snoop on his messages.
  • Jealousy can often lead to destructive behavior.
  • Her jealousy was evident by the way she glared at them.
  • He couldn’t hide his jealousy when she won the award.
  • Jealousy often destroys friendships.

Synonyms (Similar Words)

  • Envy
  • Covetousness
  • Desire
  • Resentment
  • Bitterness
  • Spite
  • Grudge
  • Rancor
  • Animosity
  • Ill will

Antonyms (Opposite Words)

  • Contentment
  • Satisfaction
  • Happiness
  • Pleasure
  • Delight
  • Admiration
  • Approval
  • Goodwill
  • Benevolence
  • Apathy

Idioms and Phrases

  • Green with jealousy – Very envious or suspicious.
  • Eat your heart out – Said when you're doing something that you know will make someone else jealous.
  • The green-eyed monster – A phrase used to denote jealousy.

Word Origin and History

The word 'jealousy' originates from the Middle English word 'jalousie', which in turn comes from the Old French 'gelos' meaning 'zealous'.