DictionaryAI

jealous

JEL-uhs/ˈd͡ʒɛləs/

Verbjealouses, jealousing, jealoused

6 meanings of jealous

Practice

  1. 1
    enviousadjective
    Feeling upset or angry because someone else has something you want.

    Like wanting the toy another kid is playing with and feeling cross about it.

    She felt jealous when her friend got the new bike.

    He gets jealous of his brother's good grades.

    UsageSay jealous of someone or something.

    Similarenvious, resentful, covetous

    Note
  2. 2
    doubting a partneradjective
    Worried and upset that the person you love might care for someone else.

    Like worrying your best friend likes another kid more than you.

    He felt jealous every time she talked to other men.

    She got jealous when her boyfriend texted his old girlfriend.

    UsageSay get jealous or feel jealous.

    Similarpossessive, suspicious, distrustful

    Oppositetrusting

    Note
  3. 3
    protectiveadjective
    Wanting to keep and protect something or someone you care about.

    Like a dog that guards its favorite toy and won't let anyone near it.

    He is jealous of his free time and guards it carefully.

    They are jealous of their family traditions and keep them alive.

    UsageSay jealous of your free time, meaning you guard it.

    Similarprotective, possessive, watchful, vigilant

    Note
  4. 4
    provoke a partnerverbAustraliatransitive
    To make someone feel jealous on purpose, often about their partner.

    Like pretending to love a new toy so your friend wants to play with you again.

    She tried to jealous her boyfriend by dancing with someone else.

    Stop trying to jealous me with your new friends.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 5
    adjectivearchaic
    Feeling distrustful or uneasy that something might be wrong.
    I began my fence or wall; which, being still jealous of my being attacked by somebody, I resolved to make very thick and strong.
    1719, [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson CrusoeHere, jealous means worried or suspicious, afraid of being attacked.

    Similarsuspicious, wary, distrustful, mistrustful

    Oppositetrusting

    Note
  2. 6
    verbslang
    To bother or attack someone because you are jealous of them.
    If I go back, he starts his jealousing again. Drinking and jealousing.
    2005, Andrew Lansdown, The Dispossessed

Practice

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Origin

It comes from an old Greek word 'zelos', meaning zeal or jealousy, and reached English through French.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

  • 'Jealous' ultimately derives from Greek 'zelos', meaning zeal or jealousy. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word reached English through French. en.wiktionary.org
  • It had reached English earlier: 'gelus' occurs in The Story of Genesis and Exodus, dated about 1250 and preserved in a manuscript dated about 1300. gutenberg.org