benign
bih-NYN
Benign (adjective) means Kind, gentle, and well-meaning. Example: “Her benign smile put the nervous students at ease.”
adjective
1
Kind, gentle, and well-meaning.
"Her benign smile put the nervous students at ease."
2
In medicine, describing a growth or tumor that is not cancerous and unlikely to spread.
"The doctors confirmed the lump was benign and needed no further treatment."
"A benign tumor can still cause problems if it grows large enough."
How to use benign
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHarmless and gentle — used for kindly people, mild situations, and, in medicine, non-cancerous growths.
Common mistake
The medical opposite of benign is malignant, not "malign" — malign is a different (though related) word meaning to speak badly of someone.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
benign tumor
benign neglect
a benign smile
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Word forms
- Comparative
- benigner, more benign
- Superlative
- benignest, most benign
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her _____ smile put the nervous students at ease.
Etymology
From Old French benigne, from Latin benignus, combining bene ("well") and genus ("kind, sort") — literally "of good nature."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “benign” mean?
The word “benign” means kind, gentle, and well-meaning. In plain terms, harmless and gentle — used for kindly people, mild situations, and, in medicine, non-cancerous growths.
How do you pronounce “benign”?
“Benign” is pronounced bih-NYN (/bɪˈnaɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “benign” in a sentence?
Here is “benign” used in a sentence: “Her benign smile put the nervous students at ease.”
What is the opposite of “benign”?
The opposite of “benign” — its antonyms — is malign.
What part of speech is “benign”?
“Benign” is an adjective.
Where does the word “benign” come from?
The word “benign” comes from Latin. From Old French benigne, from Latin benignus, combining bene ("well") and genus ("kind, sort") — literally "of good nature.".
Is “benign” a common word?
“Benign” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “benign” have?
“Benign” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: kind, gentle, and well-meaning.
