Definition of benign

exculpate Definition: (verb) to free from blame or guilt. Petersons.com

Add Word of the Day to your personalized My Yahoo! page: About My Yahoo! and RSS »

Email this page to a friend

< benighted

benignancy >

be·nign    (b-nn) KEY  

ADJECTIVE:

1. Of a kind and gentle disposition.
2. Showing gentleness and mildness. See Synonyms at kind ¹.
3. Tending to exert a beneficial influence; favorable: a policy with benign consequences for the economy. See Synonyms at favorable.
4. Having little or no detrimental effect; harmless: a chemical additive that is environmentally benign.
5. Medicine Of no danger to health; not recurrent or progressive; not malignant: a benign tumor.

---

ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English benigne, from Old French, from Latin benignus; see gen- in Indo-European roots

OTHER FORMS:
be·nignly (Adverb)

Visit our partner's site

	Provided by Houghton Mifflin eReference -- Download this interactive reference software to your desktop computer

Search Dictionary:

More on Yahoo! Education

• Online and On-Campus Degree Programs     MBAs  -  Technology Management  -  Education  -  Health  -  More  • College & Grad School - A Comprehensive Guide     College Search  -  Test Prep  -  Application Tips  -  Scholarship Search