envy

pronunciation

How to pronounce envy in British English: UK [ˈenvi] word uk audio image

How to pronounce envy in American English: US [ˈenvi] word us audio image

Noun:

a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something possessed by another
spite and resentment at seeing the success of another (personified as one of the deadly sins)
Verb:

feel envious towards; admire enviously
be envious of; set one's heart on

Word Origin

envy: envy: [13] The underlying meaning of envy is simply ‘look at someone’ – the implication being, ‘with malice or resentment’. The word comes via Old French envie from Latin invidia ‘malice’ (source of English invidious [17]), which was a derivative of invidēre ‘look at with malice’. This in turn was a compound verb formed from the prefix in- ‘in, on’ and vidēre ‘see’ (whence English vision).=> invidious, view, vision

envy (n.): late 13c., from Old French envie "envy, jealousy, rivalry" (10c.), from Latin invidia "envy, jealousy" (source also of Spanish envidia, Portuguese inveja), from invidus "envious, having hatred or ill-will," from invidere "to envy, hate," earlier "look at (with malice), cast an evil eye upon," from in- "upon" (see in- (2)) + videre "to see" (see vision). Jealousy is the malign feeling which is often had toward a rival, or possible rival, for the possession of that which we greatly desire, as in love or ambition. Envy is a similar feeling toward one, whether rival or not, who already possesses that which we greatly desire. Jealousy is enmity prompted by fear; envy is enmity prompted by covetousness. [Century Dictionary] Similar formations in Avestan nipashnaka "envious," also "look at;" Old Church Slavonic zavideti "to envy," from videti "to see;" Lithuanian pavydeti "to envy," related to veizdeti "to see, to look at."

envy (v.): late 14c., from Old French envier "envy, be envious of," from envie (see envy (n.)). Related: Envied; envying.

vt.

vt.