What does envious mean?
Envious is an adjective describing the feeling of wanting something that belongs to someone else — whether a possession, quality, achievement, or circumstance. A person who feels envious looks at another's success or good fortune with longing tinged by resentment, as in 'She was envious of his talent' or 'He gave an envious glance at the winning team'. Less commonly, the word can describe things that provoke such feelings, as in 'an enviable, almost envious position'. Strict usage distinguishes 'envious' from 'jealous': envy concerns desire for what others have, while jealousy concerns protecting what one already possesses, though everyday English frequently treats them as interchangeable. Derived from Latin via Old French, the word shares roots with 'envy', 'enviable', and 'invidious'. Because envy is counted among the seven deadly sins, 'envious' carries strong negative moral connotations and implies grudging resentment rather than innocent admiration.
Feeling or showing envy; desiring what another person has.
"He was envious of his friend's success abroad."
(Of a thing or situation) tending to arouse envy in others.
"Her envious lifestyle attracted both admiration and resentment."
The phrase 'green with envy' comes from ancient Greek and Roman belief that jealousy literally made the body produce excess bile — turning you green.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of envious
Envious derives from the Latin noun 'invidia' (envy), from the verb 'invidēre', meaning 'to look at with malice', literally 'to look against' — formed from 'in-' (against) and 'vidēre' (to see). It passed into English through Old French 'envieux' in the Middle English period, first appearing around the 14th century. Its cognates include 'envy' itself, 'enviable', and the rarer literary word 'invidious', all tracing back to that same Latin root about hostile looking.
Related word forms
How envious is actually used
Strictly speaking, 'envious' describes wanting what belongs to someone else, while 'jealous' describes guarding what is one's own; however, the two words are widely used interchangeably in informal modern English. The word carries a negative connotation, implying resentment rather than mere admiration, so it should be chosen carefully when describing genuine appreciation of another's good fortune.
Easily confused with envious
'Envious' means wanting what someone else has, while 'jealous' more strictly means fearfully protective of one's own possessions or relationships, though the two are often used interchangeably in everyday speech.