envy

EN-vee/ˈɛnvi/

Pluralenvies (some meanings)

Verbenvies, envying, envied

Often confused with jealousy

14 meanings of envy

Practice

1
jealousynoununcountable
A bad, unhappy feeling of wanting something that another person has.
She felt a little envy when her friend got a new bike.
He was green with envy over his brother's good grades.
Similarjealousy, resentment, covetousness
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2
feel jealousverbtransitive
To wish you had something that another person has, and feel unhappy that you don't.
I really envy your long summer vacation.
She envied her sister's curly hair when she was little.
Similarcovet, begrudge
3
feel jealousverbtransitive
To feel unhappy with someone, or even hate them, because of their good luck or what they own.
The other kids envied him because his family was rich.
Don't envy your neighbors just because they have a bigger house.
Similarresent, begrudge
Note
4
admired by allnounusually singular
A person or thing that other people wish they had or could be like.
Her garden is the envy of the whole street.
With his new skateboard, Sam was the envy of his class.
Note
5
applenouncountable
A kind of apple with red skin that is good for eating.
I bought three Envy apples at the store.
She packed an Envy in her lunch box.

6
give unwillinglyverbobsoletetransitive
To give something to someone only unwillingly, wishing you did not have to.
The mean old king would envy his servants every crumb of bread he handed out.
She envied her brother even the smallest help and gave it only when she had to.
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7
hostilitynounobsoleteuncountable
Hate or bad feeling toward another person or group.
But let me tell the World, If he out-liue the enuie of this day, England did neuer owe so sweet a hope, So much misconstrued in his Wantonnesse.
1598, William Shakespeare, Henry IVHere, enuie means the hatred and hostility of this day.
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8
rivalrynounobsoleteuncountable
Trying to be as good as someone else, or to beat them.
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9
bad namenounobsoleteuncountable
Being strongly disliked by the public, or having a bad name.
to lay the envy of the war upon Cicero
1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His ConspiracyHere, envy means public blame and hatred for the war.
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10
feel jealousverbobsoleteintransitive
To feel jealous about what others have (used with at).
Who envy at the prosperity of the wicked?
1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living.Here, envy at means feel envious about, wishing for what the wicked have.
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11
show ill willverbobsolete
To show hate toward someone, or to speak against them angrily.
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12
do harmverbobsolete
To hurt someone, or to say bad things about them to harm their name.
If I make a lie To gain your love and envy my best mistress, Put me against a wall.
c. 1621, John Fletcher, Philip MassingerHere, envy means harm or speak badly of my mistress.
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13
hateverbobsolete
To feel hate toward someone or something.
Both jealous of my love, envied each other
c. 1589, Christopher Marlo[we], The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Iew of Malta.Here, envied means hated, so each felt hatred toward the other.
Note
14
try to equalverbobsolete
To copy someone you admire and try to be as good as they are.
Let later age that noble vse enuie, Vile rancour to auoid, and cruell surquedrie
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, envie means try to match or copy that noble habit.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of envy apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes through French from the Latin word invidia, from a verb meaning "to look at with malice".