jealousy

[jel-uh-see]

noun

plural

jealousies 

1. jealous resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage, etc., or against another's success or advantage itself.

2. mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc., as in love or aims.

3. vigilance in maintaining or guarding something.

4. a jealous feeling, disposition, state, or mood.

jealousy

/ ˈdʒɛləsɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being jealous

Confusables Note

See envy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of jealousy¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English gelusie, gelosie, from Old French gelosie, jalousie, equivalent to gelos “jealous” + -ie noun suffix; jealous, -y ³

Synonym Study

See envy.

Example Sentences

Even when she appeared nude on screen or dressed up at night in a see-through micro-minidress, she inspired empathy, not jealousy.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

There are tantrums, squabbles and romantic jealousies, but it is mostly an opportunity for bravura singing.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

There were also tensions and petty jealousies between different sets of increasingly overwhelmed foster parents and with Sothea, who controlled the project’s purse strings.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Every character has intriguing, suppressed triggers — crushes, past lovers, mommy issues, jealousies — that would complicate how we interpret their behavior if they weren’t hidden until the end of the film.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That can cause jealousy and resentment, she suggests.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• grudge 
• resentment 

When To Use

What does jealousy mean?

Jealousy is a feeling or state of resentment, bitterness, or hostility toward someone because they have something that you don’t.Jealousy usually occurs as a result of someone owning something you want but can’t have or having achieved some kind of success that you want to achieve but have not been able to.This sense of jealousy is very similar in meaning to envy, which refers to a mostly negative feeling of desire for something that someone else has and you do not—like a mix of admiration and discontent. However, while envy is not necessarily malicious, jealousy usually implies a deeper resentment, perhaps because you feel that you deserve the thing more than the other person, or that it is unfair that they have it and you don’t.Jealousy is also used in the context of romantic relationships to refer to a feeling of hostility, uneasiness, or distress relating to the fear that one’s romantic partner will be unfaithful. This often involves opposition to others giving one’s partner positive attention. Such jealousy is considered very unhealthy in relationships.Someone who is feeling or is prone to jealousy can be described as jealous. Jealous can also be used to describe such a person’s thoughts or actions.Example: If your friends feel jealousy over your success, they may not be your friends.