benign

bih-NINE

meaning in plain English

Something benign won’t hurt you or get worse over time, like a harmless bump or growth.

Picture a friendly bee that only buzzes—its sting is benign, so you can relax around it.

for example

The test showed the bump on her arm was just benign, so she didn’t need to worry.

A benign thing is like a scratch that doesn’t get infected—it stays small and doesn’t spread. Why do we call a harmless mole benign? Because it’s not trying to take over, just sitting there quietly.