I'm Sidiously Vidious

The word insidious is not an unfamiliar word to most people, who know it means something bad. Its actual definition is characterized by treachery or slyness (like Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale from the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons), or operating in a slow or not easily apparent manner; more dangerous than seems evident (like a slow-moving disease).


Insidious comes from the Latin word insidiosus, a form of insidiae, which means an ambush or plot. In case you wonder, insidiae comes from the two Latin words in- meaning in, and sedere, meaning to sit (and from which we get the word sedentary). They were combined into the word insedere, which meant to sit in or on, or (more insidiously) to lie in wait for, hence our meaning. Its first recorded use in English is in the 1540s.

Invidious is not as familiar, but is a good word that should get greater use. It is also an adjective, and can describe anything that excites ill will, odium, or envy. It also describes anything that gives offense, especially by discriminating unfairly. (And it IS possible to fairly discriminate, by choosing the best over the better or the better over the good. Otherwise, what good is an All-Star game?)

Invidious appeared in English about 1600, directly from the Latin word invidiosus, a form of the word for ill will or envy: invidia. In fact, follow invidia through Old French and in the late 13th century English adds the word envy. (In 10th century Old French it was written envie and included the meaning not only of jealousy but rivalry.)

Going back to Latin, invidia came from invidus, which meant envious, and was formed from the word invidere, the combination of in- (meaning in – weren’t you paying attention?) and videre, meaning “to see”. Which takes me back to Woodward High School’s motto Esse quam videre. It means “To be, rather than to seem to be,” a quote from Cicero used by many schools and on more than a few family crests. The motto was in Latin, but we spoke English in my high school days.

Since I mentioned it earlier, sedentary, which means remaining in one place, often in a sitting position, came to English in the 1590s. It came to English from the Middle French word sedentaire, which they got from the Latin word sedentarius. The meanings remained as sedentary as the word’s definition implies.

Speaking of mentioning earlier, odium (four paragraphs ago) is a stronger or more negative word than ill will or envy. It is hatred, especially of a person or thing regarded as loathsome. It can also mean the disgrace brought on by a loathsome action, but the synonym opprobrium would be better used for this meaning (in my estimation). And the former meaning is the more common use for odium anyway. Odium, like invidious, appeared in English in about 1600 and came directly from the Latin word odium that means ill-will, offense, or hatred.

Unfortunately, there are no English words sidious (which should mean loyal and honest) or vidious (loyal and true).