jaundiced
JON-dist
/ˈdʒɔːn.dɪst/
Affected by bitterness, resentment, or cynicism; viewing things with persistent bias or hostility.
Implies that past disillusionment has permanently yellowed or distorted a person's judgment so they see bad motives everywhere.
The story behind the word. Derived from Old French jaunisse ('yellowness'), from Latin galbinus ('yellow-green'). The medical condition causes yellowing of the skin and eyes due to bilirubin buildup. Metaphorically, a person with jaundice was thought to see the entire world stained in ugly yellow.
Word relationships
- cynical: Cynical focuses on believing people are motivated purely by self-interest.
- embittered: Embittered stresses emotional hurt, while jaundiced stresses distorted perception.
- naive: Naive implies an overly trusting, unsophisticated lack of experience.
- optimistic: Optimistic means expecting favorable outcomes and seeing good intentions.
Commonly confused with
- jaded: Jaded means bored or tired from overindulgence; jaundiced means bitter and biased due to past injury.
Word family
- jaundice (noun): A medical condition causing yellow skin, or a state of bitter bias.
- jaundice (verb): To affect with bitterness, prejudice, or envy.
Collocations
- jaundiced eye
- jaundiced view
- jaundiced perspective
- jaundiced outlook
Idioms & expressions
- take a jaundiced view
Example sentences
- "After decades in diplomacy, he viewed all promises of lasting international peace with a jaundiced eye." Political commentary
- "Her jaundiced view of corporate life stemmed from years of watching unethical behavior go unpunished." Literary essay
Memory hook
JAUNdiced eyes view the world like yellowed, OLD paper—bitter and aged. JAUNDICED vision sees bitterness everywhere.
When not to use
Do not use for sudden, fleeting jealousy; it describes a chronic, cynical worldview.
Fun facts
- The English poet Alexander Pope wrote in 1711: 'All seems infected that the infected spy, As all looks yellow to the jaundic'd eye.'
Related words
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