different between mercenary vs envious

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin merc?n?rius (“hired for money”), from merc?s (“reward, wages, price”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m??.s?.n?.?i/, /?m??.s?n.?i/
• (General American) enPR: mûr?s?-n?r'?, IPA^(key): /?m?s??n??i/
• Hyphenation: mer?ce?na?ry

Noun

mercenary (plural mercenaries)

1. (archaic) One motivated by gain, especially monetary.
2. A person employed to fight in an armed conflict who is not a member of the state or military group for which they are fighting and whose primary motivation is private gain.
3. (figuratively) One hired to engage in a figurative battle, as a corporate takeover, a lawsuit, or a political campaign.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:mercenary

Hyponyms

• condottiere, freelance, gallowglass, Landsknecht, lansquenet, Mamertine, routier, turcopole

Translations

Adjective

mercenary (comparative more mercenary, superlative most mercenary)

1. Motivated by private gain.

Synonyms

• (motivated by private gain): greedy, venal
• (hired for a figurative battle): hired gun

Translations

See also

• soldier

Further reading

• mercenary at OneLook Dictionary Search
• mercenary in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Middle English envious, from Anglo-Norman envious, from Old French envieus, envious (modern French envieux), from Latin invidi?sus; more at envy. Doublet of invidious, borrowed directly from Latin. Displaced native Old English æfesti?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??nv??s/

Adjective

envious (comparative more envious, superlative most envious)

1. Feeling or exhibiting envy; jealously desiring the excellence or good fortune of another; maliciously grudging
   • My soul is envious of mine eye.

2. Excessively careful; cautious.
   • 1650, Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living

     for no man was ever so amorous, as to love a toad; none so envious, as to repine at the condition of the miserable

3. (obsolete) Malignant; mischievous; spiteful.
4. (obsolete, poetic) Inspiring envy.

Synonyms

• (excessively cautious): overcautious

Translations

See also

• jealous

Anagrams

• niveous, veinous

Old French

Alternative forms

• enviös, envieus

Etymology

From Latin invidi?sus.

Adjective

envious m (oblique and nominative feminine singular enviouse)

1. envious; jealous

Descendants

• French: envieux
• Norman: envieux
• ? English: envious