Etymology of the English word jealous
the English word
jealousderived from the Old French word
gelosderived from the Medieval Latin word
zelosusderived from the Latin word
zelus (jealousy; spirit of rivalry, emulation)
derived from the Greek word
zelos, ζῆλος (properly, heat; 'zeal' (in a favorable sense, ardor; in an unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a husband (figuratively, of God), or an enemy, malice))
Date
The earliest known usage of jealous in English dates from the 13th century.
Cognates
French
jaloux, Italian
geloso, Portuguese
cioso, Provençal
gelos, Spanish
zelosoUsage
Word found in Modern English
