benignus

Latin

Etymology

By surface analysis, bene (“well”) +‎ -gnus (“-born”). Compare malignus.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /beˈniɡ.nus/, [bɛˈnɪŋnʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /beˈniɲ.ɲus/, [beˈniɲːus]

Adjective

benignus (feminine benigna, neuter benignum, adverb benignē or benigniter); first/second-declension adjective

1. kind, good, friendly, pleasant

   Antonym: severus

2. beneficent, obliging, bounteous
3. (of things) favorable, mild
4. (poetic, of things) fruitful, fertile, copious
5. (poetic) lucky, propitious

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	benignus	benigna	benignum		benignī	benignae	benigna
Genitive	benignī	benignae	benignī		benignōrum	benignārum	benignōrum
Dative	benignō		benignō		benignīs
Accusative	benignum	benignam	benignum		benignōs	benignās	benigna
Ablative	benignō	benignā	benignō		benignīs
Vocative	benigne	benigna	benignum		benignī	benignae	benigna

Derived terms

• benignē
• benignitās
• benigniter
• benignor

 

Descendants

• Catalan: benigne
• English: benign
• French: bénin
• Galician: benigno
• Italian: benigno
• Occitan: benigne
• Portuguese: benigno
• Romanian: benign
• Spanish: benigno

Further reading

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