benignity

IPA/bɪnˈɪɡnɪti/
IPA/bᵻnˈɪɡnᵻɾi/

benignity — 名詞

1. a gentle, gracious quality in someone's character that makes them treat others w

1.名詞C2
釋義

仁慈；和藹

性情溫和親切、待人寬厚的特質

a gentle, gracious quality in someone's character that makes them treat others with warmth and kindness.

例句

The old doctor was loved for the benignity he showed every frightened child.

這位年邁的醫生因為對每個受驚的孩子都展現仁慈而深受愛戴。

the benignity someone shows toward others

Feng greeted each new student with the same calm benignity, putting their worries to rest.

Feng 以同樣沉穩和藹的態度迎接每位新生，化解了他們的不安。

with calm benignity for describing a gentle manner

同義詞
  • kindliness

    plainer and more everyday; benignity sounds more formal and literary

  • graciousness

    stresses courteous warmth toward others, often from someone in a higher position

  • gentleness

    focuses on mild, soft manner rather than active kindness

反義詞
  • cruelty

    active wish to cause pain, the direct opposite

  • harshness

    cold, severe manner toward others

文法句型

the benignity of someone

用法筆記

Almost always uncountable and abstract — describes a settled trait of character, not a single moment. Distinguish from sense 2, which names a particular kind action you can count.

常見錯誤

❌She did a benignity for the old man.
✅She showed great benignity toward the old man.
💡in this sense benignity is a quality, so use 'show' rather than 'do a'.

2. a single kind or generous act done to help or comfort another person.

2.名詞C2
釋義

善行；好意

幫助或安慰他人的一件件善舉

a single kind or generous act done to help or comfort another person.

例句

Among the many benignities Dario offered the refugees was a warm meal each evening.

Dario 為難民提供的眾多善行之一，就是每晚一頓熱飯。

the benignities someone offers

The nurse's small benignities, like a folded blanket or a kind word, eased the long night.

護士的點點善行，像是疊好的毯子或一句親切的話，撫慰了漫漫長夜。

small benignities for everyday kind acts

同義詞
  • kindness

    the everyday word for a kind act; benignity is rarer and more formal

  • favour

    a helpful act you do at someone's request; benignity is given freely

反義詞
  • injury

    a harmful act done to someone, the opposite kind of deed

文法句型

a benignity

small benignities

用法筆記

Countable in this sense, often plural — a list of separate good deeds. Contrast sense 1, where benignity is an uncountable character trait.

常見錯誤

❌He thanked her for benignity.
✅He thanked her for her many benignities.
💡when meaning specific acts, use the countable plural with a determiner.

3. the quality of being safe and causing no harm, often when something first seemed

3.名詞C2
釋義

無害；安全

本以為危險卻不會造成傷害的性質

the quality of being safe and causing no harm, often when something first seemed dangerous.

例句

Tests confirmed the benignity of the chemical, so the factory reopened the next morning.

檢測確認了這種化學物質的無害，工廠隔天早上便重新開工。

the benignity of [a thing] for proven harmlessness

Joaquín was reassured by the benignity of the spider once the guide named the harmless species.

導遊說出那是無害的品種後，Joaquín 對這隻蜘蛛的無害感到安心。

同義詞
  • harmlessness

    the plain, direct word; benignity is more formal

  • innocuousness

    very formal; stresses that something cannot cause offence or harm

反義詞
  • harmfulness

    the quality of being able to cause damage

  • malignity

    very formal; the quality of being deeply harmful or evil

文法句型

the benignity of something

用法筆記

Subject is usually a thing or force (a substance, a policy, weather), not a person. Distinguish from sense 1, whose subject is a person's character.

常見錯誤

❌The dog's benignity meant it never bit anyone.
✅The dog's gentleness meant it never bit anyone.
💡for a living thing's safe nature, 'gentleness' is more natural than this sense of benignity.

4. the medical quality of a growth or illness that is not cancer and is unlikely to

4.名詞C2
釋義

良性

腫瘤或病灶非癌、不易擴散的醫學性質

the medical quality of a growth or illness that is not cancer and is unlikely to spread or cause serious harm.

例句

The scan results showed the benignity of the lump, so Defne went home greatly relieved.

掃描結果顯示這顆腫塊為良性，Defne 因此大大鬆了一口氣回家了。

the benignity of [a growth] in a medical context

Doctors confirmed the benignity of the tumour and ruled out any further treatment.

醫生確認這顆腫瘤為良性，排除了任何進一步治療的必要。

confirm the benignity of a tumour

同義詞
  • harmlessness

    non-technical word for the same idea outside medicine

反義詞
  • malignancy

    the medical term for being cancerous and able to spread

文法句型

the benignity of a tumour

用法筆記

Medical register; subject is a growth, tumour, or cells. The opposite term is 'malignancy'. This sense is rarer than the everyday adjective 'benign'.

常見錯誤

❌The benignity tumour was removed.
✅The benign tumour was removed.
💡before a noun use the adjective 'benign'; the noun benignity names the quality itself.