benign

English

Etymology

From Middle English benigne, benygne, from Old French benigne, from Latin benignus (“kind, good”), from bene (“well”) + genus (“origin, kind”). Compare malign.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /bɪˈnaɪn/
    • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪn

Adjective

benign (comparative benigner or more benign, superlative benignest or most benign)

  1. Kind; gentle; mild.
    • 1826, [Mary Shelley], chapter IX, in The Last Man. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC:
      But though we both entertained these ideas, we differed in their application. Resentment added also a sting to my censure; and I reprobated Raymond's conduct in severe terms. Adrian was more benign, more considerate.
  2. (of a climate or environment) mild and favorable
  3. (in combination) Not harmful to the environment.
    an ozone-benign refrigerant
  4. (medicine) Not posing any serious threat to health; not particularly aggressive or recurrent.
    Synonym: non-malignant
    Antonym: malignant
    a benign tumor

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin benignus or French bénin.

Adjective

benign m or n (feminine singular benignă, masculine plural benigni, feminine and neuter plural benigne)

  1. (medicine) benign

Declension
Declension of benign
singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative/
accusative 		indefinite benign benignă benigni benigne
definite benignul benigna benignii benignele
genitive/
dative 		indefinite benign benigne benigni benigne
definite benignului benignei benignilor benignelor

Swedish

Adjective

benign (not comparable)

  1. (medicine) benign
    Synonym: godartad
    Antonyms: malign, elakartad

Declension
Inflection of benign
Indefinite Positive Comparative Superlative2
Common singular benign — —
Neuter singular benignt — —
Plural benigna — —
Masculine plural3 benigne — —
Definite Positive Comparative Superlative
Masculine singular1 benigne — —
All benigna — —
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.
2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
3) Dated or archaic

References
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