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Invidious (adjective) Pronunciation: [in-'vi-di-ês] Definition: (1) Offensive, insulting, causing ill-will; Usage: Here is another word we have confused with a similar one that sounds a bit the same, "envious." Although the two words share the same origin, their meanings should not overlap. Envy is envy and invidiousness should be invidiousness. The adverb is "invidiously" and the noun, the expectable "invidiousness." Suggested Usage: Anyone who insults or offends you is invidious, "Miss Givens is an invidious presence that creates far too much tension in the office." However, invidiousness is not restricted to people: "Before Civil Rights legislation of the 60s and 70s, the US was home to many invidious laws discriminating against minority groups." Etymology: From Latin invidiosus "envious, hostile" from invidia "envy." "Envy" itself comes from the same Latin word butvia French envier "to envy." "Invidia" is a noun from the Latin verb invideo, literally, "I do not look at," but meaning "to be prejudiced against, to envy." This verb is based on the prefix in- "not" + videre "to see," similar to Russian nenavist (not looking at) "hatred." In fact, Russian videt' "to see" comes from the same root as Latin "videre." The original root was *weid- and, as we have seen a few times before, words beginning on [w] often end up with "gu" in French, so we are not surprised that French "guide" comes from the same root. In Celtic we see it in "druid," which originated from dru "tree" (whose root—if you'll pardon the pun—we discussed recently in connection with "dendrochronology") + wid "see(r)." –Dr. Language, YourDictionary.com
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New Yorker magazine was invidious in its "satire" of the Obamas on its cover this week.
1 comment:
Ahh, The New Yorker. I really like NY & have been known to clip many a cartoon to send to friends. Even bought a set they sell as note cards. A friend of mine was shocked I didn't "get it," because I am a lover of odd humor(I use a big skull with angry teeth as a mirror every day ;-). She's right, I didn't "get it" when I first saw it; it chilled me. Maybe it would not have if I didn't feel there were a few too many people who believe that way. People in the grocery, at the charity function, folks you share a drink with or have other interests in common. ~Mary
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