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jaloux

Etymology and origin of the French word jaloux

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1160, Roman d'Eneas
Borrowed from
Occitan gelos
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek (ζῆλος)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʒa.lu/[1]

Forms

jaloux (feminine jalouse, masculine plural jaloux, feminine plural jalouses)[1] Old French gelos (about 1160), gelus (about 1170), jalos (about 1175), jalous (early 13th century); jaloux from 1487.[2][3][4]

Etymology

The word has a complex history.[5][4] It goes back to Late Latin zēlōsus (“full of love and care”), recorded in the 5th or 6th century, derived from zēlus (“zeal; emulation, jealousy”), the source of zèle, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos, “eagerness, ardour, rivalry, envy”).[5][4][6] The Greek noun is connected with ζητέω (zētéō, “to seek”), a verb of obscure origin.[4]

To explain the ending, instead of the expected ⟨-eux⟩, Bloch and Wartburg and the REW see the French word as a borrowing, borrowed from Old Occitan gelos (“jealous”), used in the love poetry of the troubadours from about 1140; like amour, it would have passed into French through the lyric poetry of the north.[7][8][4] Wartburg went further and traced the Latin form directly to the Greek noun, carried into the Latin of Narbonensis; the DHLF notes that the variety and age of the French senses argue against too simple an account.[4] The Grand Robert gives the Occitan route as possible, and Wiktionary as the current view.[2][1] Cognate with Italian geloso, Spanish celoso and Portuguese zeloso.[8][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Roman d'Eneas (about 1160) gelos de means eagerly desiring something, and jalos fiercely attached to keeping a possession or advantage.[5][3]

Semantic evolution

About 1170, in Marie de France's Lais, gelus describes someone who is exclusive in love and admits no sharing, as an adjective and as a noun, the jealous husband.[5] In the 13th century the Bible speaks of Dieu fort et jaloux, adapting Church Latin Deus zelotes; in the second half of that century the word also means envious.[5][3]

Jaloux de with a noun or infinitive, “very attached to, anxious to”, as in jaloux de sa liberté, is now dated or literary;[9][5] avec un soin jaloux means with particular vigilance.[9][5] Rabelais (1546) has jaloux comme un tigre.[3] The derivatives are jalouser (about 1300) and jalousie (about 1220), which since 1549 also names a lattice blind, probably after Italian gelosia.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 1140 – Old Occitan gelos in troubadour poetry.[7][4]
  • c. 1160 – Gelos and jalos in the Roman d'Eneas.[5]
  • c. 1170 – Jealous in love, in Marie de France.[5]
  • c. 1220 – Jalousie.[7]
  • 13th century – Dieu fort et jaloux.[5]
  • 1487 – The spelling jaloux.[2][3]
  • 1546 – Jaloux comme un tigre in Rabelais.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Jealous in love, fearing or resenting a rival: un mari jaloux.[9][1]
  2. Envious of another's advantages or success.[5][9]
  3. (dated or literary) Jaloux de: very attached to, protective of: jaloux de sa réputation, de son indépendance.[9][5]
  4. Avec un soin jaloux: with watchful care.[9]

Noun

  1. A jealous person.[9][5]

Word family

  • jalouser
  • jalousie
  • zèle
  • Ancient Greek ζῆλος (zêlos)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 658a
  7. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Jaloux.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/jaloux. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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