ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jealous

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈdʒɛɫəs// UK //dʒˈɛləs// jeal·ous Slang

adj. feeling unhappy or angry because you want something that someone else has. You might feel this way about a friend's new car or their success at work.

adj. feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages. Often followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate the object of the envy.


SIMPLE

She feels jealous of her brother's new phone.

CONTEXTUAL

He tried to hide his feelings, but he was clearly jealous when his colleague received the promotion he wanted.

COMPLEX

While healthy competition can drive improvement, becoming excessively jealous of a rival's success often leads to bitterness and a breakdown in professional relationships.

Synonyms
Origin

First attested in 1382. From Middle English jelous, gelous, gelus, from Old French jalous, from Late Latin zelosus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos, “zeal, jealousy”). Doublet of zealous.

Usage

Typically used with the preposition 'of' before the person or thing being envied.

Pitfall

I am jealous for your successI am jealous of your successThe adjective jealous takes the preposition 'of', not 'for' or 'about'.

© 2026 English Reference