What does jealous mean?
Jealous describes a person who feels envious of another person's success, possessions, or advantages, as in a jealous competitor who resents a rival's achievement. It can also describe possessiveness concerning a romantic relationship, family member, or valued possession. In this sense, jealousy is not necessarily envy; it may be an intense desire to protect someone or something from loss. A third, less common use describes suspiciousness or resentment in a relationship. The word commonly appears in the phrase jealous of, which is followed by a person, quality, or thing being envied. Jealous can be mildly negative, but in literary contexts it may describe protective devotion without necessarily suggesting hostility.
adjectiveFeeling or showing envy of someone else's success, possessions, or advantages. It can also mean resentful or suspicious of someone else's romantic or familial relationship.
- Feeling envy of another person's success, possessions, or advantages.
- Having or showing strong possessiveness about a person, relationship, or achievement.
- Resentful or suspicious of another person's actions, especially in a romantic relationship.
"She was jealous of her sister's success but never begrudged her the opportunity."
"He grew jealous when his colleague received the award."
"The child's jealous reaction to his brother's new bicycle surprised everyone."
Jealousy is not only about wanting what someone else has: its second sense can mean fiercely protective of a person, place, or relationship.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jealous come from?
Jealous derives from the Old French word jaloux, meaning jealous or envious, and ultimately from a broader family of Romance and Germanic words expressing rivalry, envy, and watchful possessiveness. The suffix -ous is an English adjectival addition, forming an adjective from the inherited root. Jealousy and jealously are later derivatives of the same base and reflect the word's development into a noun and adverb.
Related word forms
How jealous is actually used
In modern usage, the most common sense is feeling envious. The possessive and suspicious senses are established but often carry a more interpersonal or potentially negative tone.
Easily confused with jealous
Jealous describes envy, possessiveness, or resentment, whereas zealous describes enthusiastic devotion to a cause or pursuit.
Jealous is the adjective describing the emotion or attitude, while jealousy is the noun naming that emotion.