English Explanatory Dictionary

jealous

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. 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.
  2. Protective; zealously guarding; careful in the protection of something (or someone) one has or appreciates, especially one's spouse or lover.
  3. Envious; feeling resentful or angered toward someone for a perceived advantage or success, material or otherwise.
  4. Suspicious; apprehensive.
verb
  1. To harass or attack (somebody) out of jealousy.
  2. To deliberately make (someone) jealous of another person's (often their partner's) associations with other people.

Pronunciation

/ˈd͡ʒɛ.ləs/ en-us-jealous.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-jealous.wav

Word forms

jealous jealouser more jealous jealousest most jealous iealous jealouses jealousing jealoused

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.

Related words

zeal zealot zealous

Derived words

hyperjealous jealous as a Barbary pigeon jealous husbands problem jealous-like jealously jealousness jealousy nonjealous overjealous superjealous unjealous
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