benign

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

• IPA^(key): /bɪˈnaɪn/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪn

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.

   • 1982 December 18, Nancy Walker, “Doodle, Turkey and Pumpkin”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 22, page 6:

     I people my world with benign spirits. Everything talks to me and I respond to it.

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

   • 2025 August 14, Angela Haupt, “What to Know About the Horned ‘Zombie’ Rabbits Hopping Around Colorado”, in TIME‎^[1]:

     Despite the gruesome way it looks, cottontail rabbit papillomavirus is often benign, and many rabbits end up fighting it off on their own.

• malign

Borrowed from Latin benignus or French bénin.

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

1. (medicine) benign

benign (not comparable)

1. (medicine) benign

   Synonym: godartad

   Antonyms: malign, elakartad

• benign in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• benign in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)