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Webster 1913 Edition


Invidious

In-vid′i-ous

,
Adj.
[L.
invidiosus
, fr.
invidia
envy. See
Envy
, and cf.
Envious
.]
1.
Envious; malignant.
[Obs.]
Evelyn.
2.
Worthy of envy; desirable; enviable.
[Obs.]
Such a person appeareth in a far more honorable and
invidious
state than any prosperous man.
Barrow.
3.
Likely to or intended to incur or produce ill will, or to provoke envy or resentment; hateful; offensive;
as,
invidious
distinctions
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Invidious

INVID'IOUS

,
Adj.
[L. invidiosus, from invideo, to envy; in and video, to see. Invideo signified properly, to look against.]
1.
Envious; malignant.
2.
Likely to incur ill will or hatred, or to provoke envy; hateful. [This is the usual sense.]
Agamemnon found it an invidious affair to give the preference to any one of the Grecian heroes.

Definition 2024


invidious

invidious

English

Adjective

invidious (comparative more invidious, superlative most invidious)

  1. (of a distinction) Offensively or unfairly discriminating.
    • 1891, Henry James, The Marriages:
      "Yes, you must have a lot of places," the Colonel observed, looking at her shining raiment with a sort of invidious directness.
  2. (of an action or task) Causing ill will towards the actor; causing offense.
  3. (of a thing) Causing envy or ill will towards the possessor.
  4. Envious, jealous.
  5. (obsolete) Detestable, hateful, odious.

Related terms

Translations

References

  • invidious in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911