envy
[ en-vee ]
/ ˈɛn vi /
noun, plural en·vies.
a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc.
an object of such feeling: Her intelligence made her the envy of her classmates.
Obsolete.
ill will.
verb (used with object), en·vied, en·vy·ing.
to regard (a person or thing) with envy: She envies you for your success. I envy your writing ability. He envies her the position she has achieved in her profession.
verb (used without object), en·vied, en·vy·ing.
Obsolete.
to be affected with envy.
Origin of envy
SYNONYMS FOR envy
1
enviousness.
Envy and
jealousy are very close in meaning.
Envy denotes a longing to possess something awarded to or achieved by another:
to feel envy when a friend inherits a fortune.
Jealousy, on the other hand, denotes a feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves:
to feel jealousy when a coworker receives a promotion.
Jealousy also refers to anguish caused by fear of unfaithfulness.
4 resent.
Envy,
begrudge,
covet refer to one's attitude toward the possessions or attainments of others. To
envy is to feel resentful and unhappy because someone else possesses, or has achieved, what one wishes oneself to possess, or to have achieved:
to envy the wealthy, a woman's beauty, an honest man's reputation. To
begrudge is to be unwilling that another should have the possessions, honors, or credit that person deserves:
to begrudge a man a reward for heroism. To
covet is to long jealously to possess what someone else possesses:
I covet your silverware.
OTHER WORDS FROM envy
en·vy·ing·ly, adverb un·en·vied, adjective un·en·vy·ing, adjective un·en·vy·ing·ly, adverbWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH envy
envy jealousy (see synonym study at the current entry)Words nearby envy
Example sentences from the Web for envy
British Dictionary definitions for envy
envy
/ (ˈɛnvɪ) /
noun plural -vies
a feeling of grudging or somewhat admiring discontent aroused by the possessions, achievements, or qualities of another
the desire to have for oneself something possessed by another; covetousness
an object of envy
verb -vies, -vying or -vied
to be envious of (a person or thing)
Derived forms of envy
envier, noun envyingly, adverbWord Origin for envy
C13: via Old French from Latin
invidia, from
invidēre to eye maliciously, from
in- ² +
vidēre to see
Idioms and Phrases with envy
envy
see green with envy.