jealous Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another's advantages
    covetous; envious.
    • he was never covetous before he met her
    • jealous of his success and covetous of his possessions
    • envious of their art collection
  2. adjective satellite suspicious or unduly suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival
    green-eyed; overjealous.
    • a jealous lover

WordNet

Jeal"ous adjective
Etymology
OE. jalous, gelus, OF. jalous, F. jaloux, LL. zelosus zealous, fr. zelus emulation, zeal, jealousy, Gr. . See Zeal, and cf. Zealous.
Definitions
  1. Zealous; solicitous; vigilant; anxiously watchful.
    I have been very jeolous for the Lord God of hosts. Kings xix. 10.
    How nicely jealous is every one of us of his own repute! Dr. H. More.
  2. Apprehensive; anxious; suspiciously watchful.
    'This doing wrong creates such doubts as these, Renders us jealous and disturbs our peace. Waller.
    The people are so jealous of the clergy's ambition. Swift.
  3. Exacting exclusive devotion; intolerant of rivalry.
    Thou shalt worship no other God; for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Ex. xxxiv. 14.
  4. Disposed to suspect rivalry in matters of interest and affection; apprehensive regarding the motives of possible rivals, or the fidelity of friends; distrustful; having morbid fear of rivalry in love or preference given to another; painfully suspicious of the faithfulness of husband, wife, or lover.
    If the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife. Num. v. 14.
    To both these sisters have I sworn my love: Each jealous of the other, as the stung Are of the adder. Shak.
    It is one of the best bonds, both of chastity and obedience, in the wife, if she think her husband wise; which she will never do if she find him jealous. Bacon.
    Syn. -- Suspicious; anxious; envious. Jealous, Suspicious. Suspicious is the wider term. We suspect a person when we distrust his honesty and imagine he has some bad design. We are jealous when we suspect him of aiming to deprive us of what we dearly prize. Iago began by awakening the suspicions of Othello, and converted them at last into jealousy. "Suspicion may be excited by some kind of accusation, not supported by evidence sufficient for conviction, but sufficient to trouble the repose of confidence." "Jealousy is a painful apprehension of rivalship in cases that are peculiarly interesting to us." Cogan.

Webster 1913