Meanings
plural benignities
- uncountableThe state of being benign.
[…] and presented her, with pride not less than pleasure, to their noble visitant, who, although surprised by the youthfulness of her countenance (rendered the more striking from her late illness), thought that its gentle benignity augured well for his future hopes, […]
1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter L, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 191 more example
[W]e muſt not take this mercifull indulgence given to our defectuoſities, as a diſpenſation for the ſordidnes of our loves, but rather in a holy effect and contention of gratitude, ſtrain to love God the more purely, and irreſpectively to our ſelves, in regard of the tranſcendent benignity of this diſpenſation.
1648, Walter Montagu, “The Fourteenth Treatise. The Test and Ballance of Filial and Mercenary Love. §. II. Mercenary Love Defined, and the Relying Much on It Disswaded.”, in Miscellanea Spiritualia: Or, Devout Essaies, London: […] W[illiam] Lee, D[aniel] Pakeman, and G[abriel] Bedell, […], →OCLC, page 186 - countableA benign act.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe quality of being kind and gentle
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinbenignitās
- Middle Frenchbenignité
- Middle Englishbenignite
- Englishbenignity
From Middle English benignite, from Middle French benignité (modern French bénignité), from Latin benignitās. By surface analysis, benign + -ity.
More words from Middle English, Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French bénignité
- bénignitéstate of being benign
Cite this entry
benignity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/benignity
“benignity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/benignity. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “benignity,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/benignity.
Source: benignity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.