Vocabulary Spotlight

Benign

Part of Speech: Adjective

Definition: Showing kindness or gentleness; not harmful or dangerous, especially in medical terms.

“The doctor assured her that the growth was benign and posed no risk to her health.”

Pronunciation

[bih-nahyn]

Synonyms, Antonyms & Related Words

Synonyms

Gentle
Kind
Harmless
Benevolent
Innocuous

Antonyms

Malignant
Harmful
Malevolent
Dangerous
Malicious

Related Words

Benignity
Kindness
Merciful

Word Origin

“Benign” originates from Latin “benignus,” combining “bene” (well) and “genus” (born), meaning well-born or kind.

Word Family

Adjective: Benign – Gentle, kind, or harmless.

Noun: Benignity – The quality of being gentle or kind.

Mnemonics

Think “be-nice” – “benign” sounds like “be nice,” indicating kindness or harmlessness.

Industry-specific Usage

Medicine

In medicine, “benign” is used to describe non-cancerous tumors that pose no health risk.

Weather

In meteorology, “benign” weather refers to calm and non-threatening conditions.

Ecology

In ecology, “benign” environments are those that support growth and lack harsh conditions.

In Context

“Benign” is often used to describe things or people that are kind, gentle, or harmless, and is frequently used in medicine to signify non-threatening conditions.

Vocabulary Challenges

1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “Benign”?

Malignant
Harmful
Harmless
Dangerous

“Harmless” is correct as “benign” indicates something that is not dangerous or harmful.

2. Fill in the blank: The test results confirmed that the tumor was _______ and not a threat to her health.

benign
malignant
harmful
malevolent

“Benign” is correct as it signifies a harmless condition in medical terms.

3. In which context might “benign” be appropriately used?

Discussing a dangerous storm
Talking about an aggressive animal
Referring to a malicious person
Describing a non-cancerous tumor

“Describing a non-cancerous tumor” fits, as “benign” is often used medically to signify harmless growths.