From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbenignbe‧nign /bɪˈnaɪn/ ●○○ adjective 1 KINDkind and gentle He shook his head in benign amusement.2 MIa benign tumour (=unnatural growth in the body) is not caused by cancer OPP malignant
Examples from the Corpus
benign• If kept in a small cul-de-sac by itself, it will be utterly benign.• Perhaps the expansion can continue and possibly it will one day taper off in benign fashion.• There is an hierarchical structure, but managerial authority is respected as a benign guardian of company interests.• the animal's benign nature• Police spoke of a benign new law enforcement tactic no more intrusive than a video camera at a convenience store.• But gifts such as these can not be awarded to everybody, either by judges or by the most benign of governments.• The benign old woman wore a big flowered garden hat and tended a magical flower garden.• a benign tumorOrigin benign (1300-1400) Old French benigne, from Latin benignus, from bene “well” + gigni “to be born” 