emulous

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἁμιλλάομαι“strive, contend”
2. Latin · derived fromaemulus“striving to equal or excel, rivaling; in a bad sense, envious, jealous”
3. Middle English · inherited fromemulous
4. English todayemulous

From Middle English emulous, from Latin aemulus (“striving to equal or excel, rivaling; in a bad sense, envious, jealous”) + -ous, from Ancient Greek ἁμιλλάομαι (hamilláomai, “strive, contend”), akin to Latin imitari (“to imitate”); see imitate.