Where does “jealous” come from?

Jealous comes from Middle English gelus, from Old French gelus, derived from Latin -osus (a suffix forming adjectives) combined with Latin -osus, ultimately from Ancient Greek ζῆλος meaning zeal or rivalry.

jealous (English): Suspecting rivalry in love; troubled by worries...

Definitions

  1. Suspecting rivalry in love; troubled by worries...

Ancestry of “jealous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishjelousJealous about a relationship; fearful about one's...
2Old Frenchjalouseager; zealous; jealous
3Latinzēlōsusjealous
4Latinzēluszeal, emulation
5Ancient GreekΖῆλοςZelus
6Proto-Indo-Europeanyeh₂-to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel

Words derived from “jealous

Every word from Proto-Indo-European yeh₂-