Etymology
Origin of jaundiced
Explanation
So you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror. To your surprise, and horror, instead of your usual rosy complexion, your skin is yellow and the whites of your eyes are yellow, too! You, my friend, are jaundiced. Jaundice is from the Greek, ikteros, which referred to both the disease and a rare, yellow bird. It was thought that someone with jaundice could stare at this yellow bird, and the jaundice would be magically transferred to the bird. Jaundiced can also refer to ideas or feelings being distorted by negative views or qualities, since yellow has been associated with bitterness and envy. Too bad there is no bird to get rid of that!
Vocabulary lists containing jaundiced
Educated
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Fever 1793
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Bluest Eye
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sarah told the BBC she had to plead with doctors at City Hospital for her son to be seen by senior doctors after he began having seizures and became jaundiced.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
Though undeniably popular, social media is regarded now with an increasingly jaundiced eye, as the suits against Meta have proved.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
In summary, we are viewing the failure of SPX to be able to convincingly push through to new all-time highs with a jaundiced eye.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 8, 2026
Mr. Coen’s view of the contemporary dating scene seems both jaundiced and out of touch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025
It was weird to watch his smooth, muscular flesh age, turn a jaundiced yellow, and start shriveling on the bone.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
