What does the word envious mean

1 : painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage. 2 obsolete : malice. 3 : an object of envious notice or feeling his new car made him the envy of his friends.

The definition of envious is showing desire for what others have. A woman who is jealous of the fancy clothes of her friends is an example of someone who is envious. Feeling or exhibiting envy; jealously desiring the excellence or good fortune of another; maliciously grudging.

adj.jealous, resentful.

To feel displeasure or hatred towards (someone) for their good fortune or possessions.

Word Origins

One might almost say that these two words are used as if they were interchangeable … The words are scarcely synonymous, however. Envy means discontented longing for someone else’s advantages. Jealousy means unpleasant suspicion, or apprehension of rivalship.

In James 3:14 (NLT), he cautions those who wish to be wise, “. . . if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting or lying.”

Envy can be a destructive emotion both mentally and physically. Envious people tend to feel hostile, resentful, angry and irritable. … Envy is also related to depression, anxiety, the development of prejudice, and personal unhappiness. Not surprisingly, these negative mental states can impact physical health.

Opposite of a resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck. goodwill. friendliness. helpfulness. kindness.

Envy is caused by a dissatisfaction with self-image—your perception of your actual stature. This dissatisfaction is also called low self-esteem—a poor self-appraisal of your actual stature. Because you feel inferior to the person you envy, envy is related to shame. Envy encourages you to achieve higher stature.

In Christianity

Envy is one of the Seven deadly sins in Roman Catholicism. In the Book of Genesis envy is said to be the motivation behind Cain murdering his brother, Abel, as Cain envied Abel because God favored Abel’s sacrifice over Cain’s. Envy is among the things that comes from the heart, defiling a person.

The root causes of jealousy and envy are connected to a person’s inability to see what God has provided in their life and a lack of thankfulness. James 3:16 states, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

According to the DSM-IV, none of the personality disorders, except the narcissistic personality, is formally associated with envy. Nevertheless, this “deadly sin” is so omnipresent in human relationships that it cannot be restricted only to the narcissistic personalities.

A study published in Emotion in 2015 found that people experienced stronger feelings of jealousy if their left frontal cortex was stimulated. Dr. … She notes that jealousy also stresses us out, and can trigger the brain to release stress hormones that cause a “flight or fight” response.

why people feel jealous

Because it can feel like you have a monster inside you that you can’t control. Jealousy can come from feelings of low self-esteem or lack of confidence. And when someone is unhappy about themselves, feels anxious and insecure, this can lead to feelings of jealousy and being out of control.

Envy is a complex cluster of feelings that stems from a very basic desire: You want what you believe someone else has. According to Buunk et al. (2012), envy is a response to another person who has success, skills, or qualities that we desire, and it involves feeling a lack in comparison to that person.

Both jealousy and envy originate from the primitive fight-or-flight response. When you feel under attack, your brain triggers a warning signal. Our tribal ancestors lived in fear of arousing the envy of the gods by their pride or good fortune.

A jealous friend may do things like show off on social media. They may post overly happy or positive things about their own life. You may also notice them friending your friends as they’re eager to gain social approval from those close to you. A jealous friend may seek attention in a group.