GC: adj
S: MEDLP – http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medlineplus.html (last access: 11 November 2014); STUD – https://study.com/academy/answer/what-does-benign-mean.html (last access: 1 December 2018).
N: 1. early 14c., from Old French benigne (12c., «kind, benign, merciful, gracious;» Modern French bénin, fem. bénigne), from Latin benignus «kindly, kindhearted, friendly, generous,» literally «well born,» from bene «well» + gignere «to bear, beget,» from genus «birth».
2. Not malignant. A benign tumor is one that does not invade surrounding tissue or spread to other parts of the body; it is not a cancer.
3. In the field of Cancers and Oncology: benignant, non malignant (synonyms).
S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=benign (last access: 13 November 2014). 2. MN – http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2449 (last access: 13 November 2014). 3. TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 13 November 2014).
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