bénin

Forms

bénin (feminine bénigne, masculine plural bénins, feminine plural bénignes)^[1] Old French benigne, one form for both genders; the masculine bénin was remade from it, and won out in the 15th century.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin benignus (“kindly, well-disposed”),^[2][4][1][5] first in the form benigne used for both genders, from which a masculine benin was made by 1204.^[2][3][6] Picoche calls the remade form half-learned.^[7] The Latin adjective is formed on bene (“well”) and contrasts with malignus, the source of malin.^[2][7]

Cognate with Old Occitan benigne, Spanish benigno and Italian benigno.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Benigne is first found about 1175, meaning “kindly, inclined to indulgence”, together with the adverb bénignement and the noun bénignité.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The original sense “benevolent, indulgent” turned ironic in the 17th century, when the word could mean “too soft, easy-going”.^[2][4] As early as 1690 Furetière noted that it was hardly used except of the influence of the heavens and of remedies that work gently (1670).^[2]

These uses have gone; from remedies the word passed to illnesses that are not alarming (1835, fièvre bénigne), and by extension to anything without serious consequences.^[2] In medicine it is now the opposite of malin.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 1175 – Benigne appears, with benignement and benignité.^[2]
• 1204 – First record of the masculine benin.^[2][3]
• 15th century – Bénin prevails over benigne as the masculine.^[2][10]
• 17th century – The word takes an ironic sense, “too soft”.^[2][4]
• 1670 – Used of a remedy that acts gently.^[2]
• 1835 – Fièvre bénigne “mild fever” is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (dated or literary) kindly, gentle and indulgent;^[9][11][6] (pejorative) too soft, easy-going: un juge bénin.^[9][11][6]
2. (medicine, dated) Of a remedy, acting gently.^[9][6]
3. Without serious consequences, mild, harmless: une blessure bénigne.^[9][6]
4. (medicine) Of a tumour, not malignant: tumeur bénigne.^[9]

Word family

• bénignement

Related words

• bénignité
• malin
• bien
• Latin benignus

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 1, 325a
6. ^ a b c d e Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
7. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
11. ^ a b Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard