invidious
不公平な
解説 Definition
判断・扱い・比較などが公平でなく、片方に不利またはえこひいきがあると言うときに使う形容詞です。日常会話より書き言葉で、制度、決定、条件、比較を批判的に述べる文脈によく出ます。
Invidious means unfair in a way that gives an advantage to one side or puts another side at a disadvantage. It is often used in formal or written English when talking about decisions, systems, conditions, or comparisons. Common phrases like invidious comparison and invidious distinction show the idea of judging people or things in a biased and unequal way.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
invidious は formal な unfair と考えると入りやすい語です。特に invidious comparison「不公平な比較」、invidious distinction「不公平な区別」の形でよく出ます。in- で始まる否定語のように見えますが、語源上は「ねたみをもって見る」に近く、比べ方が偏っている感覚があります。別エントリの「反感を招く」意味は、その不公平さの結果として生じるニュアンスだと分けて覚えましょう。
A useful way to remember invidious is to think of it as a formal word for unfair. It often appears in phrases like invidious comparison and invidious distinction, where the comparison or distinction is biased. Even though it looks like a negative word beginning with in-, its deeper origin is closer to "looking with envy," which helps explain the sense of unfair comparison. You can keep separate the other meaning, "likely to cause resentment," as a result of that unfairness.
例文
The hiring process was criticized as invidious because some applicants were given chances that others never received.
その採用手続きは、一部の応募者だけが他の人にはない機会を与えられていたため、不公平だと批判された。
It is hard to compare the two schools without making an invidious judgment based on resources rather than teaching quality.
教育の質ではなく設備面で二つの学校を比べると、不公平な判断になりやすい。
The report warned that the new policy could create invidious differences between full-time and part-time staff.
その報告書は、新しい方針が常勤職員と非常勤職員の間に不公平な差を生むおそれがあると警告した。
人に不公平感や嫌悪感を与える
(意味 2)解説 Definition
不公正な比較や区別によって、人々に嫌悪感や不公平感を与える。差別的で偏見に基づいた不公平な扱いを示す。
Invidious describes something that is likely to cause dislike, unfair comparison, or resentment. It is often used for judgments, distinctions, or situations that make people feel offended or treated unequally. This is a formal word and often appears in careful or critical writing.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
この意味の invidious は、単に「不公平な」と訳すより一歩進んで、「その扱い・発言・比較が人の反感や嫌悪感を招く」という結果に焦点があります。invidious comments / comparison / distinction の形で、誰かを不利に見せたり集団間の緊張を生んだりする場面を思い浮かべるとよいです。基本義の「不公平な」と別に、感情的な反発まで含む用法として覚えましょう。
Remember the common phrase invidious comparison. The key idea is not just something unpleasant, but a comparison or distinction that feels unfair and causes resentment. Do not mix it up with insidious, which is about hidden harm, not unfair treatment.
例文
His invidious comments about his colleague created workplace tension.
彼の同僚に対する不公正なコメントは職場の緊張を生み出しました。
Making invidious comparisons between people can hurt relationships.
人々の間で不利な比較をすることは関係を傷つける可能性があります。
The invidious distinction between rich and poor divided the community.
富裕層と貧困層の間の不公正な区別はコミュニティを分裂させました。
invidious の語源・成り立ち Etymology
ラテン語 invidiosus「ねたみを招く」に由来し、もとは invidere「ねたんで見る」から。in-「向けて」+ videre「見る」が核で、不公平な比較の感覚につながります。
Invidious comes from Latin invidiosus, meaning "causing envy" or "full of envy." It is related to the verb invidere, "to look at with envy," from in- "toward" and videre "to see." From this idea, the word developed the sense of unfair or biased comparison.
外部辞書で調べる
この単語を英単語クイズで覚えよう