invidious means causing ill will, envy, or offense.
invidious is pronounced /ɪnˈvɪdi.əs/.
Why “invidious” is a great word
Causing or tending to cause resentment, envy, or ill will, especially by being unfairly discriminatory. From Latin invidiōsus ("envious, hateful"), from invidia ("envy, ill will"), from invidēre ("to look askance at, to envy"), from in- ("upon") + vidēre ("to see"). First attested in English c. 1600. Unlike "envious," which describes the internal ache of coveting another's lot, or "odious," which denotes a broadly repulsive quality, "invidious" characterizes an external act or circumstance that unfairly allocates advantage, thereby planting the seed of discord in others. It is the promotion given to the incompetent nephew, the policy that quietly excludes, the comparison that no one asked for and everyone resents—the visible machinery of injustice that makes others feel the wound of being seen, and found wanting.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin invidiōsus, from invidia (“envy, ill will”), from in- (“upon”) + videō (“to see”); the meaning developed from “look back at” to “look askance at” to “envy.” Doublet of envious, from Old French.
adj
- Causing ill will, envy, or offense.e.g.“To think highly of ourselves in comparison with others, to assume by our own authority that precedence which none is willing to grant, must be always invidious and offensive; […]”
- Offensively or unfairly discriminating.e.g.“But the rich man—not to make any invidious comparison—is always sold to the institution which makes him rich.”
- Envious, jealous.
- Detestable, hateful, or odious. (Often used in cases of perceived unfairness, or when facing a difficult situation or choice — especially in the phrase invidious position.)
Words closest in meaning
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