emulous

American  

[em-yuh-luhs] / ˈɛm yə ləs /

adjective

1. desirous of equaling or excelling; filled with emulation.

   boys emulous of their fathers.

2. arising from or of the nature of emulation, as actions or attitudes.

3. Obsolete. jealous; envious.

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emulous British  

/ ˈɛmjʊləs /

adjective

1. desiring or aiming to equal or surpass another; competitive

2. characterized by or arising from emulation or imitation

3. archaic envious or jealous

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Other Word Forms

• emulously adverb
• emulousness noun
• nonemulous adjective
• nonemulously adverb
• nonemulousness noun
• unemulous adjective

Etymology

Origin of emulous

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin aemulus “vying with”; -ulous

Explanation

Use the adjective emulous to describe someone who tries to imitate or copy another person. An emulous student might both admire and feel jealous of the teacher he imitates. When you're emulous of a friend, you feel a bit competitive, wanting to do what she does, and to do it better. Younger siblings are sometimes emulous of older brothers or sisters, and art school students might be emulous of established, working artists. When you want to be just like someone, you're emulous, and when you want to surpass that person, you're also emulous. The Latin root is aemulari, "to rival."

Example Sentences

Cultivator of the gardens of the mind, himself the very bud and bloom of humanistic learning, he follows Socrates in having taken as his modus operandi the emulous pursuit of all that is most excellent.

From Time Magazine Archive

Remember, that the end of true friendship is the good of its object, and the cultivation of virtue, in two hearts emulous of each other, and desirous to perpetuate their society beyond the grave.

From Letters on the Improvement of the Mind, Addressed to a Lady by Chapone, Hester

There is some little pecuniary advantage attached to the office of monitor, which makes them emulous to obtain it.

From Maria Edgeworth by Zimmern, Helen

An emulous industry was never more apparent than in this beautiful assembly.

From The Portland Sketch Book by Various

My four steeds I harnessed, all white and black-maned, Which straight on their way, fleet and emulous strained.

From The Wisdom of Confucius with Critical and Biographical Sketches by Wilson, Epiphanius