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)
- 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.
- (of a climate or environment) mild and favorable
- (in combination) Not harmful to the environment.
- an ozone-benign refrigerant
- (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
kind, gentle, mild
|
(medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Romanian
Adjective
benign m or n (feminine singular benignă, masculine plural benigni, feminine and neuter plural benigne)
Declension
Declension of benign
Swedish
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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