jealousy
UK[ˈdʒeləsi]US[ˈdʒeləsi]
n
The unhappy or angry feeling of wanting what someone else has or wanting them to lose what they have.
n
The feeling of being angry and unhappy because someone you like or love is showing interest in another person.
Morpheme Breakdown
jeal
ous
y
jeal
ardent, zealous
ous
adjective suffix
y
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'jealousy' traces a fascinating path from a concept of positive fervor to one of possessive suspicion. It originates from the Late Latin 'zelosus', meaning "full of zeal," which itself derives from the Greek 'zēlos', signifying "ardor, rivalry, emulation." This root entered English via Old French 'jalos', which carried the dual senses of being zealous and being suspicious in matters of love. The modern abstract meaning crystallized by the 13th century, where the original intensity of 'zeal' narrowed specifically to the fervent, often resentful, desire to possess what another has or to guard one's own possessions or relationships from rivals, illustrating a semantic shift from general passion to a specific, troubled emotion.
Analysis
Structure: jeal (ardent, zealous) + ous (adjective suffix) + y (noun suffix)
- jeal: From Old French 'jalos', meaning ardent, zealous, or suspicious in love. Ultimately from Late Latin 'zelosus', meaning full of zeal.
- ous: A suffix forming adjectives, from Latin '-osus', meaning full of, prone to.
- y: A suffix forming abstract nouns, from Old French '-ie', from Latin '-ia', indicating state or condition.
Examples
Her success filled her colleagues with envy and jealousy.
He was consumed by jealousy when he saw his girlfriend talking to another man.
Sibling rivalry often stems from jealousy over parental attention.