jealous

== English == === Alternative forms === iealous (obsolete) === Etymology === First attested in 1382. From Middle English jelous, gelous, gelus, from Old French jalous, from Late Latin zelosus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos, “zeal, jealousy”). Doublet of zealous. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛ.ləs/ Hyphenation: jeal‧ous Rhymes: -ɛləs === Adjective === jealous (comparative jealouser or more jealous, superlative jealousest or most jealous) Suspecting rivalry in love; troubled by worries that one might have been replaced in someone's affections; suspicious of a lover's or spouse's fidelity. [from 13th c.] Protective; zealously guarding; careful in the protection of something (or someone) one has or appreciates, especially one's spouse or lover. [from 14th c.] Envious; feeling resentful or angered toward someone for a perceived advantage or success, material or otherwise. [from 14th c.] Suspicious; apprehensive. ==== Usage notes ==== Some usage guides seek to distinguish “jealous” from “envious”, using jealous to mean “protective of one’s own position or possessions” – one “jealously guards what one has” – and envious to mean “desirous of others’ position or possessions” – one “envies what others have”. This distinction is also maintained in the psychological and philosophical literature. In common usage, however, although envious is always with respect to others’ possessions or fortune, jealous does not always refer strictly to one’s own possessions (as shown by the citations above). ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== zeal zealot zealous ==== Translations ==== === Verb === jealous (third-person singular simple present jealouses, present participle jealousing, simple past and past participle jealoused) (ambitransitive, slang) To harass or attack (somebody) out of jealousy. (transitive, Australian Aboriginal) To deliberately make (someone) jealous of another person's (often their partner's) associations with other people. === References === === Anagrams === jalouse