jealous

B1 Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /ˈd͡ʒɛ.ləs/ See IPA manual

Freq #1591

Meanings

1

adj
Unhappy because you want something that someone else has.

She was jealous of her sister's new car.
2

adj
Worried or angry because you think your partner may like someone else.

He gets jealous when she talks to other men.
3

adj
Eager to protect and keep something you value.

They are very jealous of their independence.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · unhappy because you want... envious

2 adj · worried or angry because... green-eyed

Word family

Forms jealousy

Derived forms hyperjealousjealous-likejealouslyjealousnessjealousynonjealousoverjealousunjealous

Related forms zeal zealot zealous

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

jealous lover
A romantic partner who fears losing affection to a rival or resents divided attention.

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Jealous came through Old French gelos and medieval Latin zelosus from Greek zēlos, the source also underlying zeal.

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.

jelous Middle English jalous Old French zelosus la-lat ζῆλος Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Emotions & Feelings

External links

# jealous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈd͡ʒɛ.ləs/
**Frequency rank:** 1591

## Meanings
1. Unhappy because you want something that someone else has.
2. Worried or angry because you think your partner may like someone else.
3. Eager to protect and keep something you value.

## Examples
- She was jealous of her sister's new car.
- He gets jealous when she talks to other men.
- They are very jealous of their independence.

## Derived Forms
- hyperjealous
- jealous-like
- jealously
- jealousness
- jealousy
- nonjealous
- overjealous
- unjealous

## Related Forms
- zeal
- zealot
- zealous

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: jelous
- Root: jalous
- Root: zelosus
- Root: ζῆλος

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Jealous is 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.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings

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