ZebraWords.com - The Definition of 'Benign', Synonyms of 'Benign' & More on 'Benign'

1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)

benign
    adj 1: not dangerous to health; not recurrent or progressive
           (especially of a tumor) [ant: malignant]
    2: pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence; "a benign
       smile"; "the benign sky"; "the benign influence of pure air"
       [syn: benign, benignant] [ant: malign]
    3: kindness of disposition or manner; "the benign ruler of
       millions"; "benign intentions"

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Benign \Be*nign"\, a. [OE. benigne, bening, OF. benigne, F.
   b['e]nin, fem. b['e]nigne, fr. L. benignus, contr. from
   benigenus; bonus good + root of genus kind. See Bounty, and
   Genus.]
   1. Of a kind or gentle disposition; gracious; generous;
      favorable; benignant.
      [1913 Webster]

            Creator bounteous and benign.         --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Exhibiting or manifesting kindness, gentleness, favor,
      etc.; mild; kindly; salutary; wholesome.
      [1913 Webster]

            Kind influences and benign aspects.   --South.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Of a mild type or character; as, a benign disease.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Kind; propitious; bland; genial; salubrious; favorable
        salutary; gracious; liberal.
        [1913 Webster]

Thesaurus Results for Benign:

1. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

Christian, Christlike, Christly, accommodating, affable, affectionate, agreeable, amiable, amicable, auspicious, beneficent, beneficial, benevolent, benignant, bland, bracing, bright, brotherly, charitable, clement, compassionate, complaisant, compliant, congenial, constitutional, cooperative, cordial, curable, decent, dexter, fair, favorable, favoring, forbearing, fortunate, fraternal, friendly, full of promise, generous, genial, gentle, golden, good, good for, good-hearted, gracious, happy, harmless, health-enhancing, health-preserving, healthful, healthy, human, humane, hygeian, hygienic, indulgent, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, invigorating, kind, kindhearted, kindly, kindly-disposed, loving, lucky, merciful, mild, neighborly, nice, nonmalignant, nonpoisonous, nontoxic, nonvirulent, obliging, of good omen, of happy portent, of promise, overindulgent, overpermissive, permissive, promising, propitious, prosperous, refreshing, salubrious, salutary, sanitary, softhearted, sympathetic, sympathizing, tender, tenderhearted, tonic, undamaging, unhurtful, uninjurious, unobnoxious, warm, warm-hearted, warmhearted, well-affected, well-disposed, well-intentioned, well-meaning, well-meant, white, wholesome

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