word
Medical
benign
bih-NYN
bɪˈnaɪnListen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
benign
Sounds like
Say 'bih-NYN' — the 'g' is silent.
Dictionary meaning
Not harmful or malignant; of a tumour, not cancerous.
History and origin
Latin — 'benignus' (kind, well-born).
Examples
- The biopsy results came back benign, and the patient was greatly relieved.
Common mispronunciations
BEE-nignbih-NIN
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