Invidious

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

1. Envious; malignant. [Obs.] Evelyn.

2. Worthy of envy; desirable; enviable. [Obs.] Such a person appeareth in a far more honorable and invidious state than any prosperous man. Barrow.

3. Likely to incur or produce ill will, or to provoke envy; hateful; as, invidious distinctions. Agamemnon found it an invidious affair to give the preference to any one of the Grecian heroes. Broome. -- In*vid"i*ous*ly, adv. -- In*vid"i*ous*ness, n.