invidious

English

WOTD – 11 July 2007

Etymology

(deprecated template usage)

Borrowed from Latin invidiōsus, from invidia (“envy, ill will”), from in- (“upon”) + videō (“I see”). Doublet of envious, from Old French.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪnˈvɪdi.əs/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪdiəs

Adjective

invidious (comparative more invidious, superlative most invidious)

1. (of a distinction) Offensively or unfairly discriminating.
   • 1891, Henry James, The Marriages:

     "Yes, you must have a lot of places," the Colonel observed, looking at her shining raiment with a sort of invidious directness.

2. (of an action or task) Causing ill will towards the actor; causing offense.
3. (of a thing) Causing envy or ill will towards the possessor.
4. (obsolete) Envious, jealous.
5. (obsolete) Detestable, hateful, odious.

Related terms

• invidiously
• invidiousness

Translations

offensively or unfairly discriminating

• Bulgarian: несправедлив (bg) (nespravedliv)
• Greek: επαχθής (el) m (epachthís), απεχθής (el) m (apechthís), μισητός (el) m (misitós), αντιπαθής (el) m or f (antipathís)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: возмути́тельный (ru) (vozmutítelʹnyj) (outrageous), несправедли́вый (ru) (nespravedlívyj) (unfair), пристра́стный (ru) (pristrástnyj) (biased)

causing ill will towards the actor; causing offense

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Bulgarian: враждебен (bg) (vraždeben), ненавистен (bg) (nenavisten)

causing envy or ill will towards the possessor

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Bulgarian: предизвикващ завист (predizvikvašt zavist)

archaic/obsolete: envious, jealous

• Greek: φθονερός (el) m (fthonerós)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: зави́стливый (ru) (zavístlivyj) (envious), ревни́вый (ru) (revnívyj) (jealous)

archaic/obsolete: detestable; hateful; odious

• Greek: μισητός (el) m (misitós), απεχθής (el) m (apechthís), αποκρουστικός (el) m (apokroustikós)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: омерзи́тельный (ru) (omerzítelʹnyj) (repulsive), ненави́стный (ru) (nenavístnyj) (hateful)

See also

• indignation

References

• “invidious”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “invidious”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.