Green with envy
Meaning
To feel intensely jealous or resentful of someone else's possessions, success, or advantages.
Origin
The association of the color green with sickness and strong negative emotions like jealousy and envy is ancient, rooted in early physiological theories. Medieval doctors believed that an imbalance of bodily humors—specifically an excess of bile, which could appear greenish—led to feelings of illness and intense emotions. This connection was cemented in literature, most famously by Shakespeare, who coined the phrase "green-eyed monster" in Othello (1604) to describe jealousy, further embedding the vivid image of green as the color of bitter envy into the English language.
Examples
- When Mark saw his colleague's brand new sports car, he was green with envy.
- Sarah couldn't help but be green with envy over her sister's perfect vacation photos.