φθόνος

Forms

φθόνος (phthónos) m (genitive φθόνου); second declension^[1]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain.^[2][3] Beekes and Chantraine analyse it as an action noun with o-grade from a root *φθεν- (*phthen-), to which φθονέω (phthonéō, “to envy”) belongs, and Beekes reconstructs it, with a query, as Proto-Indo-European *dʰgʷʰen-.^[2][3][1] No certain cognates are known.^[1] De Vaan tentatively connects it with φθάνω (phthánō, “to anticipate, be ahead of”), which could link it with Avestan 𐬀𐬖𐬲𐬋𐬥𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬨𐬥𐬆𐬨 (aγžōnuuamnəm, “which cannot be missed”).^[2][1] Kuiper compared Lithuanian gèsti (“to go to ruin”), which Chantraine finds doubtful because of the meaning.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Pindar, where it is the envy that success and wealth attract.^[4][5][6]

Semantic evolution

Pindar says that it is better to be envied than pitied, and that prosperity draws envy, and Herodotus and the tragedians use the word for envy and jealousy of other people's fortune.^[5][6] It also meant spite, the wish to spoil another's success, and in Pindar and tragedy it is the jealousy of the gods that brings mortals down.^[6] In a weaker sense it was a grudging refusal, as in the phrase οὐ φθόνος “I don't grudge it”.^[6][5] Plato and Aristotle defined it as pain at the good fortune of others.^[5]

In the New Testament it is “envy”, listed among vices together with ζῆλος (zêlos).^[7] It survives as a learned word, Modern Greek φθόνος (fthónos), meaning “envy”.^[8]

Timeline

• 6th–5th century BC – Pindar uses it for the envy that success attracts.^[5][6][9]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it for a grudging refusal.^[6][4][9]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses φθόνῳ for “out of envy”.^[5][9]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle's Rhetoric defines it as pain at the good fortune of others.^[5][9]
• 1st century AD – The New Testament lists it among vices.^[7]
• Modern Greek – It survives as a learned word meaning “envy”.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. Envy, jealousy at the success or possessions of others.^[6][5][7]
2. Spite, ill will; the jealousy of the gods towards mortals.^[6][5]
3. A grudging refusal; in negative phrases, objection to granting something.^[6]
4. Resentment, offence taken at something.^[6]
5. A cause of offence, reproach.^[6]

Word family

• ἄφθονος (áphthonos)
• ἐπίφθονος (epíphthonos)
• φθονερός (phthonerós)
• φθονέω (phthonéō)
• φθόνησις (phthónēsis)
• φθονόλετρος (phthonóletros)

Usage notes

Pindar's saying κρέσσων οἰκτιρμοῦ φθόνος, “envy is better than pity”, means that it is better to be envied than pitied.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c Chantraine, Pierre (2009), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque: histoire des mots, new ed. with a supplement (Chroniques d'étymologie grecque 1–10), Paris: Klincksieck
4. ^ a b Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
7. ^ a b c Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick W., et al. (2000), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press
8. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
9. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge