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benigno

benign

adjective beh-NEEG-noh Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Quality

Origin: From Latin 'benignus' (well-born, kind), from 'bene' (well) + 'gignere' (to produce).

Also means

mild; kind

Usage Note

Benigno is used both in medicine (tumor benigno, non-cancerous) and in general description (clima benigno, mild climate; persona benigna, kind person). Its antonym is maligno. The feminine form is benigna. Learners may also encounter the false-friend risk: English 'benign' maps well, but the warmth of the 'kind' sense in Spanish is subtler than in English.

Examples

"El tumor resultó ser benigno."

Natural Translation

The tumor turned out to be benign.

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