envy
envy Lexical Profile
envy Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.
"She felt a pang of envy when she saw her colleague's spacious new office."
A person or thing that inspires envious admiration or desire in others.
"Their beautifully restored historic home was the envy of the entire neighborhood."
• verb
To desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to someone else.
"I really envy her ability to remain calm under extreme pressure."
Word Nuance & Usage
Envy and jealousy are often used interchangeably, but in strict usage, 'envy' refers to desiring something that someone else possesses, whereas 'jealousy' refers to the fear of losing something or someone one already has to a rival.
• Rhymes for envy
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'envie', from Latin 'invidia' (envy, jealousy), derived from 'invidere' (to look askance at, cast an evil eye upon), from 'in-' (upon) and 'videre' (to see).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.