Envies

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

  1. To desire what someone else possesses | To experience a longing for the advantages or qualities of another | To feel discontent or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions or qualities
  2. To harbor a feeling of discontent regarding another's advantages or possessions | To experience a longing for something that belongs to someone else, prompting feelings of resentment | To wish for the qualities or benefits enjoyed by others while feeling a sense of jealousy or inadequacy
  3. To feel a strong desire for what another person possesses, accompanied by feelings of discontent or resentment that arise from comparing oneself to others

Etymology: The verb form of this word traces back to the Latin "invidere," meaning "to look at with malice or jealousy." This verb itself is a compound of "in-" (upon) and "videre" (to see), so originally it carried the sense of "to look upon with ill will." The English term emerged in the late Middle Ages, around the 14th century, through Old French "envier," which retained the meaning of feeling jealousy or resentment toward someone else’s possessions, qualities, or achievements. As a noun, it developed later as a way to identify the feeling or act of jealousy itself. The noun form likely arose by back-formation from the verb, capturing the abstract idea of envy as a state or condition. Both noun and verb have maintained this core meaning of desiring what another has, often accompanied by a sense of resentment, throughout their history in English. The shift from the concrete act of "looking upon with ill will" to a more generalized feeling or emotion is a common pattern in the evolution of words related to perception and emotions. The original visual metaphor—envy as a malicious gaze—gave way to the broader psychological experience. This transition highlights how language often moves from physical actions to abstract states. Interestingly, "envies" as a verb in the third person singular and plural noun forms coexist in modern English, reflecting the word’s versatility. Its roots in Latin and Old French show the layered history of English vocabulary, where many words arrived through Norman French influence after the 11th century, enriching the language’s emotional and moral lexicon.

Synonyms: covets, desires

Antonyms: contentment, satisfaction