benign

[bih-nahyn]

adjective

1. Pathology.,  not malignant; self-limiting.

   a benign brain tumor.

2. having no harmful influence or effect.

   ecologically benign and sustainable building materials.

3. having a kindly disposition; gracious.

   a benign king.

   Synonyms: compassionate, gentle, humane, tender, benevolent, benignant, kindly, good

4. showing or expressive of gentleness or kindness.

   a benign smile.

5. favorable; propitious.

   a series of benign omens and configurations in the heavens.

   Antonyms: sinister

6. (of weather) pleasant or beneficial; salubrious; healthful.

benign

/ bɪˈnaɪn /

adjective

1. showing kindliness; genial

2. (of soil, climate, etc) mild; gentle

3. favourable; propitious

4. pathol (of a tumour, etc) not threatening to life or health; not malignant

benign

1. Not life-threatening or severe, and likely to respond to treatment, as a tumor that is not malignant.

2. Compare malignant

benign

1. A descriptive term for conditions that present no danger to life or well-being. Benign is the opposite of malignant.

The term benign is used when describing tumors or growths that do not threaten the health of an individual.

Other Word Forms

• benignly adverb
• superbenign adjective
• unbenign adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of benign¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English benigne, from Anglo-French, Old French benigne (feminine), benin (masculine), from Latin benignus “kind, generous,” equivalent to beni-, combining form of bonus “good” ( bene- ) + -gnus, derivative of the base of gignere “to beget” ( genitor, genus ), hence, perhaps, “good by nature”; malign

Word History and Origins

Origin of benign¹

C14: from Old French benigne , from Latin benignus , from bene well + gignere to produce

Example Sentences

Emma said her brother also has a distinctive curved scar on the side of his head close to one of his eyes after an operation to remove a benign brain tumour when he was younger.

From BBC

“None of those men could ever imagine someone of Silcott’s race or color wielding that kind of power, despite the phony smiles and benign language used,” Mitchell said in his eulogy at Howard.

From Los Angeles Times

So when they say they don’t see these shows as purely benign entertainment, it’s worth paying attention to why.

From Salon

But Chandler’s human machine also presents a benign, feather-light rendition of innocence that doesn’t make much of an impression until the stakes increase.

From Salon

On first glance, such local church activity may appear quite benign.

From Salon

Related Words

• benevolent 
• favorable 
• friendly 
• gentle 
• mild 

When To Use

What’s the difference between benign and malignant?

In a medical context, the word benign is used to describe masses or tumors that are not cancerous—those that do not spread disease to other parts of the body. The word malignant is the opposite—it’s used to describe harmful masses or tumors that are cancerous and that grow and spread disease.Both words are sometimes also used in general ways. Benign can mean kind, favorable, or gracious, while malignant can mean harmful or intended or intending to cause harm.The best clue to help remember their meanings is the prefix mal-, which means “bad” and shows up in a lot of other negative words, such as malfunction, malpractice, malicious, and maleficent.Here’s an example of benign and malignant used correctly in the same sentence.Example: She was afraid the lump was a malignant tumor, but it turned out to be a benign cyst—totally harmless.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between benign and malignant.