Jealousy
/ˈdʒɛləsi/
nounB2
Definition
Jealousy is an emotion you feel when you want what another person has, like their attention, love, or things. It often happens when you worry you might lose something important to you, like a friend’s love or a good job, because someone else has it.
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See It in Action
Feeling unhappy or worried because someone else has something you want or because you fear losing something to them
- •She felt jealousy when her boyfriend talked to another girl.
- •His jealousy made him act differently around his friends.
- •Jealousy can harm relationships if it grows too strong.
The state of being protective or possessive about someone or something you care about
- •Parents sometimes feel jealousy when their child pays more attention to others.
- •The dog showed jealousy when a new pet arrived in the house.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "jealousy" like "want" (A1 word), but mixed with worry and fear that you might lose what you have
- ✓Picture a child watching another child play with a toy they want very badly, feeling upset and uneasy
- ✓It's the feeling when you see your best friend spending more time with someone else, and you feel a little hurt inside
- ✓Sounds like "JELL-uh-see" → imagine jelly wobbling nervously because it feels unsure and uneasy, just like jealousy makes your feelings shake
- ✓In stories, jealousy often causes problems between friends or lovers because it makes people feel unhappy and sometimes angry
- ✓NOT like "admire" (to look up to someone happily), jealousy is about wanting and feeling unhappy about others’ success
- ✓NOT like "envy" (which is wanting what others have without the fear of losing something), jealousy usually mixes wanting with fear of loss
Try Other Words
- •Envy: wanting what someone else has (Use when there is no fear of losing something you own)
- •Resentment: feeling angry about unfair treatment (Use when jealousy turns into anger or bitterness)
- •Possessiveness: wanting to keep control over someone or something (Use when jealousy is about protecting or owning)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "jeal-" (from Old French "jalous" meaning watchful or suspicious) + "-ousy" (a suffix forming nouns showing a state or condition)
- •Etymology: Comes from Old French and Latin roots meaning "watchful, suspicious, or protective"
- •Historical development: Originally meant being watchful or suspicious of rivals; over time it came to mean the feeling of wanting and fear of losing
- •Modern usage: Used mostly to describe feelings in relationships and social situations where people feel threatened or want what others have
Reflect & Connect
•How can jealousy affect friendships and family relationships in both positive and negative ways?
•Can jealousy ever be helpful or motivate someone to improve themselves? How?
Fill in the blanks
1.She felt jealousy because her friend had ___ a prize she wanted ___.
2.Jealousy often happens when someone fears they might ___ something important to them.
3.Unlike envy, jealousy usually includes the ___ of losing what you already ___.
4.When people show jealousy, they sometimes act ___ or ___ toward others.
5.The movie showed how jealousy can ___ problems between people who care about each other.
6.Parents sometimes feel jealousy when their child spends more time with ___ people.
7.Jealousy is often described as a ___ feeling that mixes wanting and fear.