These two words confuse me more times then I could ever count. Is there a difference or are they the same thing? They are different in multiple ways. We've all said one in place of the other at one time or another. "I'm jealous of her outfit/skin/car/dog/pool/jewelry.""I envy their love/relationship/friendship." These two statements are incorrectly worded. Considering it took three years for me to correct my usage of the words "ate" and "eaten," it is possible. With the help of the love of my life I will continue to make progress. I encourage him to correct me so I can become better with my language.
Once upon a time, I use to be fantastic at English and many other things. Then I ignored my body telling me its' health was bad till it placed me in the hospital for four days. In that time frame, the doctors, nurses and techs believed I had had about 50 mini brain seizures. Had to re-learn EVERYTHING. How to use the bathroom, get dressed, speak without stuttering, eat, walk and form comprehensive thoughts. It was a living nightmare. Since then I have retaught myself a good portion of those basic things. After a year and two months I finally went back to work.
Jealousy, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is having a jealous disposition, attitude, or feeling; zealous vigilance. Jealous has multiple definitions. One is to be hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage. Two is to be intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness. Third is to be vigilant in guarding a possession. The Language Tool defines it more specifically as feeling threatened, protective, or fearful of losing one's position or situation to someone else. A good example of this would be seeing another person flirt with your partner. In that situation you would feel jealousy because you feared the person may entice your partner away from you. The fear of loosing something you already have to someone else is the definition of jealousy.
Envious, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is feeling or showing envy. Envy also has multiple definitions. First is a painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage. Second is an object of envious notice or feeling. Third is to feel envy toward or on account of someone. The Language Tool also defines it as the painful feeling of wanting what someone else has, like attributes or possessions. A good example of this would be feeling envious of another person's Classic 1959 Cadillac. Restored to like new condition with custom upholstery seating, detailing inside and out, crisp whitewall wheels, and a Turquoise and chrome finish. Wanting something or someone another person has that you don't have is being envious.
I hope these explanations help others learn what I continuously have to keep relearning until it will finally stick. Here are my sources for the information above.
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jealousy
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jealous
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/envious
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/envy
- https://languagetool.org/insights/post/word-choice-envy-jealousy/
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