Definitions for benign
bɪˈnaɪnbe·nign

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. benignadjective

   not dangerous to health; not recurrent or progressive (especially of a tumor)

2. benign, benignantadjective

   pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence

   "a benign smile"; "the benign sky"; "the benign influence of pure air"

3. benignadjective

   kindness of disposition or manner

   "the benign ruler of millions"; "benign intentions"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. benignadjective

   Not posing any serious threat to health; not particularly aggressive or recurrent.

2. benignadjective

   Kind; gentle; mild.

3. Etymology: Via French from benignus, from bonus + genus. Compare malign.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. BENIGNadjective

   Etymology: benignus, Lat.

   1. Kind; generous; liberal; actually good. See Beneficent.

   This turn hath made amends! Thou hast fulfill’d
   Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign!
   Giver of all things fair. John Milton, Parad. Lost, b. viii. l. 492.

   So shall the world go on,
   To good malignant, to bad men benign. Par. Lost, b. xii.

   We owe more to heav’n than to the sword,
   The wish’d return of so benign a lord. Edmund Waller.

   What heaven bestows upon the earth, in kind influences and benign aspects, is paid it back again in sacrifice and adoration. South.

   They who delight in the suffering of inferiour creatures, will not be very compassionate or benign. John Locke.

   Diff’rent are thy names,
   As thy kind hand has founded many cities,
   Or dealt benign thy various gifts to men. Matthew Prior.

   2. Wholesome; not malignant.

   These salts are of a benign mild nature, in healthy persons; but, in others, retain their original qualities, which they discover in cachexies. John Arbuthnot, on Aliments.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Benignadjective

   of a kind or gentle disposition; gracious; generous; favorable; benignant

2. Benignadjective

   exhibiting or manifesting kindness, gentleness, favor, etc.; mild; kindly; salutary; wholesome

3. Benignadjective

   of a mild type or character; as, a benign disease

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Benign

   ben-īn′, adj. favourable, esp. in astrology, as opposed to malign: gracious: kindly: (med.) of a mild type, as opposed to malignant: salubrious.—n. Benig′nancy, benignant quality.—adj. Benig′nant, kind: gracious: beneficial.—adv. Benig′nantly.—n. Benig′nity, goodness of disposition: kindness: graciousness: favourable circumstances—of climate, weather, disease, planets.—adv. Benign′ly. [O. Fr. benigne—L. benignus, for benigenus; bene, well, genus, born.]

Matched Categories

1. • Pathology

How to pronounce benign?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

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   Mark

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   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

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   Veena

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   Priya

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   Neerja

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   Zira

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   Oliver

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   Wendy

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   Fred

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   Tessa

   South African

How to say benign in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of benign in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of benign in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of benign in a Sentence

1. Doug Madory:

   For the past 24 hours North Korea's connectivity to the outside world has been progressively getting degraded to the point now that they are totally offline, there's either a benign explanation - their routers are perhaps having a software glitch; that’s possible. It also seems possible that somebody can be directing some sort of an attack against them and they're having trouble staying online.

2. Bob Zenouzi:

   If the Fed policy is benign and you don't see an acceleration of earnings, (REIT) dividend yields and a steady cash flow are pretty attractive to investors.

3. Abdullah Shatnawei:

   The majority of cases [of bloating] are benign and nothing to worry about, but there is a chance that this may be signaling an underlying problem.

4. Doug Madory:

   For the past 24 hours North Korea's connectivity to the outside world has been progressively getting degraded to the point now that they are totally offline, there's either a benign explanation - their routers are perhaps having a software glitch; that's possible. It also seems possible that somebody can be directing some sort of an attack against them and they're having trouble staying online.

5. Dana Perino:

   As soon as you start looking into it, people are saying, ‘Wait, we don’t really like this.' It's not a benign issue, all the polls are saying, ‘No, we don’t really think we need this. We don't think it will help us.'.

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