ENGLISH
REFERENCE

envious

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɛnviəs// UK //ˈɛnvɪəs// en·vi·ous Archaic Literary

adj. feeling unhappy because you want something that someone else has, like their success or possessions.

adj. feeling or showing a desire to possess something belonging to another. Often used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'feel' or 'become'.


SIMPLE

She feels envious of her sister's new car.

CONTEXTUAL

Many people are envious of his ability to travel the world while working from his laptop.

COMPLEX

The young artist was deeply envious of her peer's sudden rise to fame, though she tried to channel that frustration into her own creative output.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English envious, from Anglo-Norman envious, from Old French envieus, envious (modern French envieux), from Latin invidiōsus; more at envy. Doublet of invidious, borrowed directly from Latin. Displaced native Old English æfestiġ.

Usage

Typically takes the preposition 'of' to indicate the object of the feeling.

Pitfall

envious for his successenvious of his successEnvious is paired with the preposition 'of', not 'for' or 'about'.

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