"Envie" is a French word that means "envy" in English. It is spelled phonetically as /ɑ̃.vi/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first sound is a nasalized open back vowel, which is represented by the symbol "ɑ̃". The second sound is a voiced fricative "v" followed by an open front unrounded vowel "i". The word "envie" is pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable and is commonly used to describe feelings of jealousy or desire for something that someone else has.
Envie is a noun that represents a feeling of discontent and resentment towards someone else's success, possessions, or attributes, often accompanied by a desire to have what they have or to see them fail. It is derived from the Latin word "invidia," which means both envy and malice. Envie is primarily characterized by feelings of desire mixed with bitterness or covetousness.
This emotion often arises when one compares themselves to others and perceives a disadvantage in their own circumstances. It can manifest as a combination of admiration for the desirable qualities possessed by another person, accompanied by a negative sentiment of wanting to possess those qualities for oneself at the expense of the other person's achievement or well-being. Envie can encompass various domains such as material possessions, social status, professional success, personal relationships, or physical appearance.
Envie is a powerful and complex feeling, as it can be both destructive and motivational. It can drive individuals to strive harder in order to achieve what they covet, or it can lead to acts of malicious sabotage and gossip aimed at bringing down the successful person. It is often seen as a detrimental emotion to one's own happiness, as it prevents contentment with one's own achievements and fosters a constant state of dissatisfaction. Overcoming envie requires self-reflection, acceptance, and the ability to find fulfillment within oneself rather than through comparison to others.
The word "envie" has its origins in the Old French word "envie" (12th century), which derived from the Latin word "invidia". The Latin term had the same meaning of "envy" or "jealousy". It is worth noting that the English word "envy" also comes from this Latin root. The Old French word "envie" has evolved over time, retaining the same meaning in contemporary French.