While many dictionaries have incorporated overlapping definitions of these two words, in best usage, their meanings are distinct. What does jealously mean?
Jealousy, as outlined above, has to do with holding on to what you have because you are afraid that someone else is going to take it away, while envy has to do with wanting what someone else has. If you have a boyfriend who has many close female friends, you might be jealous of those other women, fearing that they have a special relationship with your boyfriend that you wish you had. This is an example of jealousy.
Maybe he is smart, attractive, a good listener, etc. You wish he were your boyfriend. Though 'jealous' and 'envious' may both mean "covetous," only 'jealous' may be used to mean "possessively suspicious. Both words are fairly old, having been in regular use in English since the 13th century, and both words have accrued a number of shades of meaning over the years. Here are some of the comments offered on these two words, taken from usage guides published since the middle of the 20th century:.
One might almost say that these two words are used as if they were interchangeable The words are scarcely synonymous, however. Jealousy means unpleasant suspicion, or apprehension of rivalship. Bernstein, The Careful Writer , There are three different ways in which jealous can be used.
The most common is Jealousy is properly restricted to contexts involving emotional rivalry; envy is used more broadly of resentful contemplation of a more fortunate person. One begins to see what a muddle questions of usage may be when one contemplates the fact that all three of the above books are making pronouncements on the words jealousy and jealous and envy , all of which are in some way true, and all of which are also in some substantial way different from one another. There are indeed some semantic distinctions that may be made between these words, but it should also be noted that many educated people use them interchangeably.
Many people use jealous to mean the same thing. You might feel jealous when your boss starts giving better assignments to your new co-worker, and you worry that your own job is in jeopardy. Jealousy and envy can be difficult emotions to unravel.
We can feel unpleasant feelings toward an acquaintance who lands our dream job, for example, and claim at the time it's because that person is boastful and only realize they're feelings of envy later.
As for what inspires feelings of envy and jealousy, neurologist Ilene Ruhoy, M. According to happiness expert Gretchen Rubin , paying close attention to feelings of envy can be a helpful way to truly understand what you want out of life. When I was considering switching from law to writing, I noticed that when I read in my college magazine about people who had great law careers, I felt a mild interest; when I read about people who had great writing careers, I felt sick with envy.
That was an important clue. Theodore adds that the best thing you can do with feelings of jealousy and envy is use them as motivation. Seeing your friend land their dream job might be the push you need to start your own job search. Feeling threatened by a rock-star new co-worker might motivate you to look for more opportunities to stand out at work. It's important to learn how to deal with jealousy in a relationship and in life in general.
If you can't find a way to turn feelings of jealousy and envy into motivation, it can be detrimental to emotional and physical health. It might be worth investing in a beautiful gratitude journal or simply meditating on things you're grateful for.
In addition to helping quell feelings of jealousy and envy, the benefits of gratitude on your health are plentiful. While striving for more is key to personal growth, being thankful for what you have is just as important. Want your passion for wellness to change the world? Become A Functional Nutrition Coach!
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