Envy Comes From the Latin for Looking Upon
Envy is resentment of what someone else has. The Latin root means to look at with ill will.
Envy is discontented longing for what another person has. Latin *invidia* comes from *invidere*, to look upon with ill will, from *videre*, to see — envy begins with a look. The evil eye belongs to the same idea, and Roman writers used *invidia* for both the feeling and the malign gaze. Envy and jealousy differ: envy wants what another has, while jealousy fears losing what you already hold.
- Resentful longing. *Green with envy.*
- To feel envy. *I envy your patience.*
- Enviable — worth envying. *An enviable position.*
- Jealousy — a different feeling. *Jealousy.*
- Latin — *invidere*, to look upon. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | envy | Envy. |
| Verb | envy | Envied. |
| Adjective | envious | Envious. |
| Adjective | enviable | Enviable. |
| Latin | invidia | Envy. |
- She was green with envy.Feeling.
- I envy your calm.Verb.
- Invidere means to look upon.Etymology.
Envy and jealousy
- Envy — wanting what another person has
- Jealousy — fearing the loss of what you hold
- Envy involves two people, jealousy usually three
- Jealousy comes from the same root as *zeal*
- The two are often confused but describe different situations
Old French *envie*, from Latin *invidia*, from *invidere*, to look upon with ill will.
What is the difference between envy and jealousy?
Envy wants what someone else has. Jealousy fears losing something you already possess.
Why is envy linked to looking?
The Latin verb invidere means to look upon with ill will, the same idea behind the evil eye.