Feeling intense jealousy or resentment toward someone because of their possessions, success, or advantages.
This phrase connects to ancient beliefs about the relationship between emotions and bodily humors, where green was associated with sickness and bile. Shakespeare popularized the color-emotion link in 'Othello' with 'green-eyed monster' for jealousy, building on centuries-old associations between green and illness.
The green-jealousy connection spans cultures and millennia because it mirrors the actual physical symptoms of intense envy - the pallor and nausea that can accompany strong jealous feelings. Ancient Greeks and Romans also linked green with sickness, making this one of our most enduring color-emotion metaphors.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.