envious

[ en-vee-uhs ]

adjective

1. full of, feeling, or expressing envy:

   envious of a person's success; an envious attack.

   Synonyms: covetous, jealous, resentful

2. Archaic.
   1. emulous.
   2. enviable.

envious

/ ˈɛnvɪəs /

adjective

1. feeling, showing, or resulting from envy

Derived Forms

• ˈenviously, adverb
• ˈenviousness, noun

Other Words From

• envi·ous·ly adverb
• envi·ous·ness noun
• non·envi·ous adjective
• non·envi·ous·ly adverb
• non·envi·ous·ness noun
• over·envi·ous adjective
• over·envi·ous·ly adverb
• over·envi·ous·ness noun
• quasi-envi·ous adjective
• quasi-envi·ous·ly adverb
• un·envi·ous adjective
• un·envi·ous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of envious¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French; Old French envieus < Latin invidiōsus invidious

Word History and Origins

Origin of envious¹

C13: from Anglo-Norman, ultimately from Latin invidiōsus full of envy, invidious ; see envy

Example Sentences

I’m envious, but I want it to do well.

From Los Angeles Times

"By the time they graduate, I think I will feel a bit envious, too, that they're getting these lovely certificates for all the hard work they've done - while I will have been working hard but won't get a big celebratory day," she says.

From BBC

And I remember looking up at TV screens and was very envious that they were taking the technology to new heights.

From Slate

It’s an immediately familiar side of Agatha because we’ve watched her oscillate, even begrudgingly, between these two poles of her existence on the Witches Road as she became more protective over and envious of Billy and his growing power.

From Salon

I can only be envious of the early fish and archaic crabs that might have seen Earth’s temporary band of spinning debris.

From Slate

Related Words

• distrustful
• greedy
• suspicious
• watchful