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Webster 1913 Edition

Envious

En′vi-ous

,
Adj.
[OF.
envios
, F.
envieux
, fr. L.
invidiosus
, fr.
invidia
envy. See
Envy
, and cf.
Invidious
.]
1.
Malignant; mischievous; spiteful.
[Obs.]
Each
envious
brier his weary legs doth scratch.
Shakespeare
2.
Feeling or exhibiting envy; actuated or directed by, or proceeding from, envy; – said of a person, disposition, feeling, act, etc.; jealously pained by the excellence or good fortune of another; maliciously grudging; – followed by of, at, and against;
as, an
envious
man, disposition, attack;
envious
tongues.
My soul is
envious
of mine eye.
Keble.
Neither be thou
envious
at the wicked.
Prov. xxiv. 19.
3.
Inspiring envy.
[Obs. or Poetic]
He to him leapt, and that same
envious
gage
Of victor’s glory from him snatched away.
Spenser.
4.
Excessively careful; cautious.
[Obs.]
–
En′vi-ous-ly
,
adv.
–
En′vi-ous-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition

Envious

EN'VIOUS

,
Adj.
Feeling or harboring envy; repining or feeling uneasiness, at a view of the excellence, prosperity or happiness of another; pained by the desire of possessing some superior good which another possesses, and usually disposed to deprive him of that good, to lessen it or to depreciate it in common estimation. Sometimes followed by against, but generally and properly by at, before the person envied.
Neither be thou envious at the wicked. Prov.14.
Be not envious of the blessings or prosperity of others.
1.
Tinctured with envy; as an envious disposition.
2.
Excited or directed by envy; as an envious attack.

Definition 2024

envious

envious

English

Adjective

envious ‎(comparative more envious, superlative most envious)

  1. Feeling or exhibiting envy; jealously desiring the excellence or good fortune of another; maliciously grudging
    an envious man, disposition, or attack; envious tongues
    • Bible, Proverbs xxiv. 19.
      Neither be thou envious at the wicked.
    • Keble
      My soul is envious of mine eye.
  2. Excessively careful; cautious.
    • Jeremy Taylor
      No men are so envious of their health.
  3. (obsolete) Malignant; mischievous; spiteful.
    • Shakespeare
      Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch.
  4. (obsolete, poetic) Inspiring envy.
    • Spenser
      He to him leapt, and that same envious gage / Of victor's glory from him snatched away.

Translations

See also

Anagrams

Old French

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *enviōsus, from Latin invidiōsus.

Adjective

envious m ‎(oblique and nominative feminine singular enviouse)

  1. envious; jealous
    • circa 1170, Wace, Le Roman de Rou:
      Mez mult part fu cruel e mult fu envious
      But [he] was very cruel and very jealous

Descendants

Etymology

From Old French envieus, envious (modern French envieux), from Vulgar Latin *enviōsus, from Latin invidiōsus.; more at envy.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɛnvɪəs/

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