Benign
/bɪˈnaɪn/
adjectiveBeginnerCommonGeneral
Meanings
Questions
Definitions
2 meanings1
Kind and gentle
/bɪˈnaɪn/
adjectivepositiveBeginner
General
Gentle; kindly
Her benign nature made her popular among her peers.
💡 Simply: Nice and friendly
More Examples
2
The teacher offered benign encouragement to the struggling student.
How It's Used
General
"He had a benign smile."
2
Not cancerous; not dangerous
/bɪˈnaɪn/
adjectiveneutralIntermediate
Medical
Not harmful; harmless
The doctor confirmed the growth was benign and required no treatment.
💡 Simply: Not dangerous or harmful
More Examples
2
The effects of the medication were benign.
How It's Used
Medical
"The tumor was determined to be benign."
Tip:Remember 'benign' means 'not malignant' in a medical context.
From Old French *benigne, from Latin *benignus, from bene "well" + genus "kind, birth".
The word has maintained a consistent meaning throughout its history, referring to both kindness and harmlessness.
Memory tip
Think 'bene' (well) + 'ign' (ignoring the bad). A benign person ignores the bad and is well-meaning.
Practice
Base: benign
beninebenignn
Usage
30%Spoken
70%Written