benigne

See also: bénigne

English

Adjective

benigne (comparative more benigne, superlative most benigne)

1. Obsolete spelling of benign.
   • 1566, William Adlington, The Golden Asse‎^[1]:

     And further I imagined and sayd, Alasse what Judge is he that is so gentle or benigne, that will thinke that I am unguilty of the slaughter and murther of these three men.

   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     even th’Almightie selfe she did maligne, / Because to man so mercifull he was, / And unto all his creatures so benigne, / Sith she her selfe was of his grace indigne […]

   • 1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras‎^[2], London: Canto 3, page 107:

     The antient Heroes were illustrious
     For being benigne, and not blustrous,
     Against a vanquisht foe:

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

benigne (not comparable)

1. (medicine) benign

   Synonym: goedaardig

   Antonym: maligne

Declension

Declension of benigne
uninflected	benigne
inflected	benigne
comparative	—
		positive
predicative/adverbial		benigne
indefinite	m./f. sing.	benigne
	n. sing.	benigne
	plural	benigne
definite		benigne
partitive		benignes

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin benignus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [beˈnɪɡnə]
• Hyphenation: be‧ni‧gne

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Adjective

benigne (strong nominative masculine singular benigner, not comparable)

1. benign

Declension

Positive forms of benigne (uncomparable)

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist benigne	sie ist benigne	es ist benigne	sie sind benigne
strong declension (without article)	nominative	benigner	benigne	benignes	benigne
	genitive	benignen	benigner	benignen	benigner
	dative	benignem	benigner	benignem	benignen
	accusative	benignen	benigne	benignes	benigne
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der benigne	die benigne	das benigne	die benignen
	genitive	des benignen	der benignen	des benignen	der benignen
	dative	dem benignen	der benignen	dem benignen	den benignen
	accusative	den benignen	die benigne	das benigne	die benignen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein benigner	eine benigne	ein benignes	(keine) benignen
	genitive	eines benignen	einer benignen	eines benignen	(keiner) benignen
	dative	einem benignen	einer benignen	einem benignen	(keinen) benignen
	accusative	einen benignen	eine benigne	ein benignes	(keine) benignen

Interlingua

Adjective

benigne (comparative plus benigne, superlative le plus benigne)

1. benign

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /beˈniɲ.ɲe/
• Rhymes: -iɲɲe
• Hyphenation: be‧nì‧gne

Adjective

benigne

1. feminine plural of benigno

Latin

Etymology

From benignus (“benevolent”) + -ē.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [bɛˈnɪŋ.neː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [beˈniɲ.ɲe]

Adverb

benignē (comparative benignius, superlative benignissimē)

1. benignly, kindly, benevolently

   Synonym: benevolē

2. readily, willingly

   Antonyms: gravātē, gravanter

3. (as a response) thank you, you are very kind (in receiving); no, thank you (in declining)

Related terms

• benignitās
• benigniter
• benignor
• benignus
• perbenīgnē

References

• “benigne”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “benigne”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “benigne”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Middle English

FWOTD – 17 September 2022

Alternative forms

• beningne, benygne, benyng, benynge, benyngne

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French benigne, from Latin benignus; compare maligne.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛˈniːn(ə)/, /bɛˈni(n)ɡn(ə)/

Adjective

benigne

1. kind, gentle, mild
   • 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “Here Bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunt́burẏ”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 8, recto, lines 482-484:

     his pariſſhens / deuoutly wolde he teche / Benygne he was / and wonder diligent / And in aduerſitee / ful pacient […]

     He would devoutly teach his parishioners; / he was gentle, truly diligent, / and so patient in adversity […]

2. friendly-looking
3. humane, fair (of laws or actions)

Related terms

• benignely
• benignite

Descendants

• English: benign
• Scots: bening (obsolete)

References

• “benīgne, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.