French word

jalousie

Pronunciation

IPA/ʒaluzi/

Meaning

  • feminine nounjealousy

Example

Elle souffre de jalousie.

She suffers from jealousy.

Illustration for jalousie (jealousy)

More examples

Il ressent de la jalousie quand elle parle avec un collègue.

He experiences jealousy when she talks with a colleague.

Core concept

A valued connection or view kept behind a screen, with rivals kept at a distance.

Common phrases

  • souffrir de jalousie

    suffer from jealousy

  • éprouver de la jalousie

    experience jealousy

  • jalousie maladive

    morbid jealousy

Similar words

envie: A longing for another person's possessions, status, or advantages.
soupçon: A suspicion that a bad event or wrongdoing may be occurring.

Definition in French

Sentiment de peur de perdre l'affection ou l'attention d'une personne, souvent accompagné d'envie et de méfiance; mot homonyme désignant aussi un store à lamelles.

Word origin

Emotional jalousie developed from Old French gelosie, related to jaloux and ultimately to Greek zelos through Latin; the blind sense came from Italian gelosia.

Usage tips

  • The emotional construction is être jaloux or jalouse de someone, while jalousie names the feeling as a noun.

Other meanings

  • window blindnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • jalouxjealousadjective
  • jalouserbe envious ofverb

Word lists with this word