jealous

adjective

jeal·​ous ˈje-ləs 

1

: hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage : envious

His success made his old friends jealous.

They were jealous of his success.

2

a

: intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness

jealous of the slightest interference in household management

—Havelock Ellis

b

: disposed to suspect rivalry or unfaithfulness

a jealous husband

3

: vigilant in guarding a possession

new colonies were jealous of their new independence

—Scott Buchanan

jealously adverb

jealousness noun

Did you know?

Zealous vs. Jealous

Zealous and jealous share not just a rhyme, but an etymology. Both words ultimately come from the Latin zelus “jealousy,” and in the past their meanings were somewhat closer to each other than they are today. In the 16th and 17th centuries, zealous occasionally was used in biblical writing to refer to a quality of apprehensiveness or jealousy of another. By the 18th century, however, it had completely diverged in meaning from jealous, signifying “warmly engaged or ardent on behalf of someone or something.” Today, zealous often carries a connotation of excessive feeling: it typically means “fiercely partisan” or “uncompromisingly enthusiastic.”

Synonyms

• possessive

Examples of jealous in a Sentence

His success has made some of his old friends jealous.

She became very jealous whenever he talked to other women.

He was in a jealous rage.

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the youngest of the MacKenzie brood (and often seen with sister Janet), Jocasta Cameron is sometimes callously honest, perpetually jealous of the attention Ellen gets, and unhappily married to an old man. —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2025

Public spaces were designed to feel more intimate and cooler during what can be sunny and hot days. MASON, OH − Jansen Dell wants tennis facilities around the world to be jealous of the Cincinnati Open. —Sydney Franklin, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2025

But its recurring theme — Ed as a jealous interloper undermining owner Wilbur Post’s domestic life — can be read as a surreal meditation on masculinity, autonomy and repression in suburban America. —Chris Reed, Oc Register, 30 July 2025

Beginning with an elaborate caper and car chase through the streets of Cairo that would make Tom Cruise jealous, The Bad Guys 2 seeks to outshine the original at every turn. —Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English jelous, from Anglo-French gelus, from Vulgar Latin *zelosus, from Late Latin zelus zeal — more at zeal

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Rhymes for jealous

• bellis
• felis
• fellas
• pelisse
• trellis
• zealous
• michaelis
• nucellus
• ocellus
• overzealous

Kids Definition

jealous

adjective

jeal·​ous ˈjel-əs 

1

: demanding complete devotion

2

: feeling mean resentment toward a rival or competitor

3

: fearful of the loss of a loved one's devotion

4

: watchful, careful

jealously adverb