“I'm jealous of my friend's new car.”
Usage Entry 1415 / 1605 60-second read
Envy vs. Jealousy
Wanting what someone else has versus fearing the loss of what you have.
The comparisoni
“I'm envious of my friend's new car — ENVY targets what others have. JEALOUSY guards what you have (typically a relationship).”
The ruleii
¶
ENVY = want. JEALOUSY = guard.
ENVY: I want what you have. JEALOUSY: I fear losing what I have. Loose usage uses "jealous" for both, but careful writers keep them distinct. The OED still flags the distinction.
Memory aidiii
Remember it like this
Envy looks across. Jealousy looks back.