Benigno

Benigno is a word with multiple related uses in Romance languages and as a proper name. In Italian and Spanish, benigno is an adjective meaning benign, harmless, or benevolent. It can describe a person of kindly temperament or an action that is favorable in disposition. In medical contexts, a benigno lesion or tumor is non-malignant, typically not invasive, and unlikely to metastasize. The etymology traces to Latin benignus, from bene, meaning well.

As a given name, Benigno is used primarily in Italy and in Spanish-speaking communities, where it often reflects religious or traditional naming patterns. Notable people with the name include Benigno Aquino Jr. (1932–1983), a Philippine senator and opposition leader, and his son Benigno Simeon Aquino III (1960–2021), who served as President of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The nickname Ninoy or Noy is associated with Aquino.

Usage notes: In modern contexts, the word benigno in Spanish or Italian remains common in everyday language to contrast with malignant or harmful. The English cognate is benign.