- benignant
- adjective
Etymology: benign + -ant (as in malignant)
Date: circa 1782
1. serenely mild and kindly ; benign
2. favorable, beneficial <a benignant power> • benignantly adverb
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
benignant
Look at other dictionaries:
Benignant — Be*nig nant, a. [LL. benignans, p. pr. of benignare, from L. benignus. See {Benign}.] Kind; gracious; favorable. {Be*nig nant*ly}, adv. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
benignant — index beneficial, charitable (lenient), philanthropic, propitious Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
benignant — (adj.) c.1782, from BENIGN (Cf. benign) + ant (see ENT (Cf. ent)); on model of malignant. Related: Benignantly; benignancy … Etymology dictionary
benignant — benign, *kind, kindly Analogous words: benevolent, humane, *charitable, humanitarian, philanthropic, eleemosynary: *gracious, affable: compassionate, *tender, sympathetic Antonyms: malignant Contrasted words: malevolent, spiteful, *malicious:… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
benignant — [bi nig′nənt] adj. [< BENIGN, by analogy with MALIGNANT] 1. kindly or gracious, sometimes in a patronizing way 2. BENIGN (senses 2 & 3) benignancy n. pl. benignancies benignantly adv … English World dictionary
benignant — benignancy /bi nig neuhn see/, n. benignantly, adv. /bi nig neuhnt/, adj. 1. kind, esp. to inferiors; gracious: a benignant sovereign. 2. exerting a good influence; beneficial: the benignant authority of the new president. 3. Pathol. benign.… … Universalium
benignant — adjective /bəˈnɪɡnənt/ Kind; gracious; favorable. Here Nature appears in her richest attire, and Art, dressed with the modestest simplicity, attends her benignant mistress … Wiktionary
benignant — be•nig•nant [[t]bɪˈnɪg nənt[/t]] adj. 1) benign; gracious: a benignant sovereign[/ex] 2) exerting a good influence; beneficial • Etymology: 1775–85; on the model of malignant be•nig′nan•cy, n. be•nig′nant•ly, adv … From formal English to slang
benignant — (Roget s Thesaurus II) adjective 1. Affording benefit: advantageous, benefic, beneficent, beneficial, favorable, good, helpful, profitable, propitious, salutary, toward, useful. See HELP. 2. Characterized by kindness and concern for others:… … English dictionary for students
benignant — be·nig·nant || bɪ nɪgnÉ™nt adj. kindly, mild, favorable … English contemporary dictionary
