Word of the Day

: January 14, 2008

invidious

adjective in-VID-ee-us

What It Means

1 : tending to cause discontent, animosity, or envy

2 : envious

3 a : of an unpleasant or objectionable nature : obnoxious

b : of a kind to cause harm or resentment

invidious in Context

"Petty arguments about what counts as serious art and what does not are invidious to the discipline of artistic criticism," wrote the professor.

Did You Know?

Fittingly, "invidious" is a relative of "envy." Both are descendants of "invidia," the Latin word for "envy," which in turn comes from "invidēre," meaning "to look askance at" or "to envy." ("Invidious" descends from "invidia" by way of the Latin adjective "invidiosus," meaning "envious," whereas "envy" comes to English via the Anglo-French noun "envie.") These days, however, "invidious" is rarely used as a synonym for "envious." The preferred uses are primarily pejorative, describing things that are unpleasant (such as "invidious choices" and "invidious tasks") or worthy of scorn ("invidious remarks" or "invidious comparisons").