jealousy

noun

jeal·​ou·​sy ˈje-lə-sē How to pronounce jealousy (audio)
plural jealousies
1
: a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling
a marriage destroyed by jealousy
petty jealousies
2
: zealous vigilance
cherish their official political freedom with fierce jealousyPaul Blanshard

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Jealousy vs. Envy

Depending on who you ask, jealousy and envy are either exact synonyms, totally different words, or near-synonyms with some degree of semantic overlap and some differences. It is difficult to make the case, based on the evidence of usage that we have, for either of the first two possibilities. Both jealousy and envy are often used to indicate that a person is covetous of something that someone else has, but jealousy carries the particular sense of “zealous vigilance” and tends to be applied more exclusively to feelings of protectiveness regarding one’s own advantages or attachments. In the domain of romance, it is more commonly found than envy. If you were to say “your salt-shaker collection fills me with jealousy,” most people would take it to mean much the same thing as “your salt-shaker collection fills me with envy.” But if someone made a flirtatious comment to your partner, you would likely say that it caused you jealousy, not envy.

Examples of jealousy in a Sentence

petty jealousies among political rivals a marriage ruined by infidelity and jealousy He was driven crazy with jealousy. He was unable to control his jealousies.
Recent Examples on the Web Prosecutors allege Alvarez killed Fierro out of jealousy after discovering Fierro had become engaged to Amy Gembara, another Cathedral Catholic teacher whom Alvarez had dated for several years. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 Romance, jealousy, and unexpected reunions combine for a spirited, comedic romp, filled with witty repartee and otherworldly surprises. David Catlin, The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2024 West suggests that the failure of many scientists to replicate the Firestone team’s results was because of a lack of understanding, improper methodology, obstinacy or even jealousy. Zach St. George, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 As Stratten’s profile continued to grow, so did Snider’s apparent jealousy. Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024 There’s a lot of jealousy involved with some of the other ghosts who have been there longer. Michael Schneider, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024 For a long time, these potent imaginary friendships — inevitably descending into self-loathing, jealousy and a sado-masochistic inability to look away — replaced all human contact. Emerald Fennell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2024 This feeling of ownership and jealousy can drive attempts at blackmail, The Times found. Michael H. Keller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Orange roses are for passion, fascination and enthusiasm, while yellow roses — which once represented greed and jealousy — now offer good health, joy and friendship. Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jealousy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see jealous

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jealousy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near jealousy

Cite this Entry

“Jealousy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jealousy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

jealousy

noun
jeal·​ou·​sy ˈjel-ə-sē How to pronounce jealousy (audio)
plural jealousies
: a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling

More from Merriam-Webster on jealousy

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