benign

adjective

be·​nign bi-ˈnīn How to pronounce benign (audio)
1
a
: of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life
especially : not becoming cancerous
a benign lung tumor
b
: having no significant effect : harmless
environmentally benign
2
: of a gentle disposition : gracious
a benign teacher
3
a
: showing kindness and gentleness
benign faces
b
: favorable, wholesome
a benign climate
benignity noun
benignly adverb

Did you know?

Benign Shares Its Latin Root With Many Words

Benign comes from Latin benignus, which was formed from bene, meaning "well," and gignere, "to beget." Gignere is the root of such English words as genius and germ.

Examples of benign in a Sentence

… substituting such benign power sources as the hybrid, the fuel cell, and the electric motor in place of … the internal-combustion engine. Brock Yates, Car and Driver, May 2000
Rather than a benign fairytale creature that delivers babies, the marabou stork is an ugly, viciously predatory African bird that preys on flamingos … James Polk, New York Times Book Review, 11 Feb. 1996
… her pulled-back black hair had gone gray in strange distinct bands, but she seemed much as he remembered her, solid and energetic, with a certain benign defiance. John Updike, New Yorker, 23 May 1988
When she chose to smile on me, I always wanted to thank her. The action was so graceful and inclusively benign. Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969
We were happy to hear that the tumor was benign. around campus he's known as a real character, but one whose eccentricities are entirely benign
Recent Examples on the Web For its skin cream, Tawfik cited a small study by Drexel University researchers and a rapamycin-like gel approved by the FDA in 2022 to treat benign facial tumors. Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The tumor turned out to be benign, but the experience left me profoundly shaken. Sam Apple, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Oral contraceptives are another type of hormone therapy involving estrogen, meaning there’s a risk patients will develop blood clots or benign tumors. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 11 Mar. 2024 With the exception of belligerence, Wallace considers even the most benign audience offering an opportunity. Beatrice Hazlehurst, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Because of this success, though, there may be a perception that measles is a benign illness that merely causes a rash, runny nose and fever. Mark Kortepeter, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Venus has a runaway greenhouse effect Venus’ transformation from a benign planet to a feverish one is due to a runaway greenhouse effect. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024 Ronald Powell, Former New Orleans Saints Linebacker, Dead at 32: 'Cherished by So Many' However, Hutson was not drafted in the 1996 NFL Draft after several teams were scared off from selecting him following a benign tumor that was discovered in his right lung, according to The Oklahoman. Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024 What if fire-lighting had been recognized as a benign and necessary form of stewardship? M. R. O’Connor, The New Yorker, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'benign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English benigne, from Anglo-French, from Latin benignus, from bene + gignere to beget — more at kin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of benign was in the 14th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near benign

Cite this Entry

“Benign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/benign. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

benign

adjective
be·​nign bi-ˈnīn How to pronounce benign (audio)
1
: of a gentle disposition : gracious
2
: favorable
a benign climate
3
: of a mild type or character
especially : not becoming cancerous
a benign tumor
benignity noun
benignly adverb

Medical Definition

benign

adjective
be·​nign bi-ˈnīn How to pronounce benign (audio)
1
: of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life
benign malaria
a benign liver cyst
especially : not becoming cancerous
a benign lung tumor
compare malignant sense 1
2
: having a good prognosis : responding favorably to treatment
a benign psychosis

More from Merriam-Webster on benign

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!