Invidious
/ɪnˈvɪd.i.əs/noun
Likely to arouse resentment, annoyance, or envy; unfairly discriminatory.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor *invidiosus* comes from *invidia* (“envy, ill will”), and in Roman thought envy was so potent it could act like a hostile force, almost like a social hex.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁n̥weyd-
“to look at with resentment or hostile envy”
Latin
Latin
invidia
“envy, ill will, odium”
Late Latin
Latin
invidiosus
“envious; hateful; likely to excite envy or resentment”
Old French
Old French
invidieux
“envious; hateful; provoking envy”
Middle English
English
invidious
“envious, hateful, or causing resentment”
Modern English
English
invidious
“likely to provoke resentment or offense, especially by being unfair or discriminatory”