Dictionary

benign en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /bɪˈnɑen/ (Australia)
• /bɪˈnaɪn/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. Kind; gentle; mild.
   • 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. 1826, [Mary Shelley], chapter IX, in The Last Man. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC:
   • During it, [Ashley] Graham attempted to ask the actor [Hugh Grant] a series of benign questions, and he gave her very little to work with. 2023 March 14, Iris Goldsztajn, “Was Hugh Grant Being Rude to Ashley Graham at the Oscars? The Internet Is Seriously Divided”, in Marie Claire:
   • I people my world with benign spirits. Everything talks to me and I respond to it. 1982 December 18, Nancy Walker, “Doodle, Turkey and Pumpkin”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 22, page 6:
2. Of a climate or environment, mild and favorable.
3. (in-compounds) Not harmful to the environment.
   • an ozone-benign refrigerant
4. Not posing any serious threat to health; not particularly aggressive or recurrent.
   • Despite the gruesome way it looks, cottontail rabbit papillomavirus is often benign, and many rabbits end up fighting it off on their own. 2025 August 14, Angela Haupt, “What to Know About the Horned ‘Zombie’ Rabbits Hopping Around Colorado”, in TIME, archived from the original on 17 Aug 2025:
   • a benign tumor

Forms

Antonyms

malign · malignant

Deriveds

nonbenign · unbenign · benignancy · benign prostatic hyperplasia · benign neglect · benignness · benign prostate enlargement · benignant · benignity · benignly · benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Synonyms

nonmalignant

Translations (83)

el αγαθός (kind, gentle, mild) · mi māhaki (kind, gentle, mild) · bg до́бър (kind, gentle, mild) · ca benigne (kind, gentle, mild) · pl łagodny (kind, gentle, mild) · pl łagodny ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · ca benigne ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · sv benign ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · fi ystävällinen ((in combination) not harmful to the environment) · nl goedaardig (kind, gentle, mild) · ru прия́тный (kind, gentle, mild) · cmn 善良 (kind, gentle, mild) · kmr xweşmirov (kind, gentle, mild) · bg любе́зен (kind, gentle, mild) · ru до́брый (kind, gentle, mild) · ro blând (kind, gentle, mild) · la benignus (kind, gentle, mild) · sk mierny (kind, gentle, mild) · cmn 和藹 /和蔼 (kind, gentle, mild) · cs laskavý (kind, gentle, mild) · ar لَطِيف (kind, gentle, mild) · cmn 良性 ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · sv godartad ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · cs nezhoubný ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · cs vlídný (kind, gentle, mild) · bg прия́тен (kind, gentle, mild) · nb godartet ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · cs neškodný ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · it benigno ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · uk доброя́кісний ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · ka კეთილშობილი (kind, gentle, mild) · ru доброка́чественный ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · cs benigní ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · sk prívetivý (kind, gentle, mild) · eo benigna ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · ru любе́зный (kind, gentle, mild) · enm benigne (kind, gentle, mild) · mi ngū ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · kmr qenc (kind, gentle, mild) · cmn 宜人 ((of a climate or environment) mild and favorable) · fi lauhkea ((of a climate or environment) mild and favorable) · cmn 無害 /无害 ((in combination) not harmful to the environment) · hu benignus ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · ka კეთილთვისებიანი ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · sk nezhubný ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · fr bénin ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · pl nieszkodliwy ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · ru благоприя́тный (kind, gentle, mild) · kmr camêr (kind, gentle, mild) · pt benigno ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · el καλοκάγαθος (kind, gentle, mild) · ar كَرِيم (kind, gentle, mild) · fr bénin (kind, gentle, mild) · lt gerybinis ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · az zərərsiz ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · de gutartig ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · de liebevoll (kind, gentle, mild) · nn godarta ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · de freundlich (kind, gentle, mild) · es benigno (kind, gentle, mild) · de gütig (kind, gentle, mild) · hy բարորակ ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · cmn 溫和 /温和 (kind, gentle, mild) · fa خوشخیم ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · az xətərsiz ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · fi ystävällinen (kind, gentle, mild) · bg мил (kind, gentle, mild) · ro benign (med.) ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · ru мя́гкий (kind, gentle, mild) · el καλοήθης ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · bg благ (kind, gentle, mild) · bg доброка́чествен ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · cmn 溫和 /温和 ((of a climate or environment) mild and favorable) · fi hyvänlaatuinen ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · mk доброќуден ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · pt benigno (kind, gentle, mild) · cs dobrotivý (kind, gentle, mild) · tk zyýansyz ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · tk tultuk (kind, gentle, mild) · hu jóindulatú ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · nl goedaardig ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · es benigno ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant) · cmn 無害 /无害 ((medicine) not posing any serious threat to health — see also malignant)