Benign Meaning
/bɪˈnaɪn/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjKind; gentle; mild.
adjMild and favorable.
Sentence Examples
The tumor was benign.
The tumour was benign.
The results of Tom's biopsy show that the tumor is benign.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The doctor assured me the tumor was ____ and not cancerous.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The doctor said that the tumor was ____ and not a cause for concern today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English benigne, benygne, from Old French benigne, from Latin benignus (“kind, good”), from bene (“well”) + genus (“origin, kind”). Compare malign.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
"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:
"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:
"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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The doctor assured me the tumor was ____ and not cancerous.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The doctor said that the tumor was ____ and not a cause for concern today.