Envy (Topical Term)

Merriam-Webster Words-at-Play, viewed online Oct. 13, 2017 Usage notes: Jealous vs. Envious (There are semantic distinctions between these words, but many people use them interchangeably. Envy is most often used to refer to a covetous feeling toward another person's attributes, possessions, or stature in life. Jealous can be used for this sense of envious. Jealous is also often encountered adjectivally to refer to some unwelcome feelings in a romantic vein, typically in which one harbors suspicion of infidelity or the possibility that one's love will be stolen away. An important distinction here is that envious will not serve as a substitute for this use of jealous. So while jealous may be used to mean both "covetous" and "possessively suspicious", envious is used only to mean "covetous.")