envy

/ˈɛnvi/

//ˈɛnvi// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"envy" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“envy” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,040 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,040
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Resentful desire of something possessed by another or others (but not limited to material possessions).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

envy vs EV
0% similar
envy vs ey
50% similar
envy vs eve
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for envy
PropertyValue
Headwordenvy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛnvi/
Letters4
Frequency rank#9,040
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “envy” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). envy lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for envy is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛnvi/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,040 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for envy, with forms such as "ennvy", "envvy", and "envyy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "EV", "ey", "eve", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Old French enviebor. Middle English envie English envy From Middle English envie, from Old French envie, from Latin invidia (“envy”), from invidere (“to look at with malice”), from in- (“on, upon”) + videre (“to look, see”). Doublet of envie.… The correct English form is envy, spelled E-N-V-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Resentful desire of something possessed by another or others (but not limited to material possessions).
  2. 2
    An object of envious notice or feeling.
  3. 3
    Hatred, enmity, ill-feeling.
  4. 4
    Emulation; rivalry.
  5. 5
    Public odium; ill repute.
  6. 6
    A red-skinned variety of eating apple.

Etymology

Etymology tree Old French enviebor. Middle English envie English envy From Middle English envie, from Old French envie, from Latin invidia (“envy”), from invidere (“to look at with malice”), from in- (“on, upon”) + videre (“to look, see”). Doublet of envie. Cognate to Proto-Slavic *zavistь (“envy”). Displaced native Old English æfest.

Antonyms

kindness

This word in other languages

envidia(Español)envie(Français)Neid(Deutsch)inveja(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ennvy,envvy,envyy,enyv,evny,nevy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of envy - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ennvy1envvy1envyy1enyv2evny2nevy2
Edit distance from "envy"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "envy"?
"envy" is spelled E-N-V-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛnvi/.
What does "envy" mean?
As a noun, "envy" means: Resentful desire of something possessed by another or others (but not limited to material possessions).
What words are commonly confused with "envy"?
"envy" is commonly confused with "EV", "ey", "eve". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "envy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "envy" is /ˈɛnvi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "envy"?
Etymology tree Old French enviebor. Middle English envie English envy From Middle English envie, from Old French envie, from Latin invidia (“envy”), from invidere (“to look at with malice”), from in- (“on, upon”) + videre (“to look, see”). Doublet... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “envy”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-N-V-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛnvi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “EV” - see the side-by-side comparison. envy vs EV
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list