bénit

Bénit is a form found in the French language. It is the third-person singular passé simple of the verb bénir, meaning “he blessed” or “it blessed.” The passé simple is a literary tense, and in modern French the same idea is usually expressed with the passé composé, as in il a béni. The standard past participle of bénir is béni, used with auxiliary être or avoir depending on the construction.

The verb bénir derives from Old French benir, from Latin bene- “well” and -ire, and the form bénit reflects the historical conjugation pattern in the passé simple.

In contemporary writing, bénit appears mainly in historical, literary, biblical, or ceremonial contexts and is rarely used in everyday speech, where il a béni would be standard.

Bénit also exists as a surname in French-speaking regions, though it is relatively uncommon. It may appear in genealogical or biographical records but is not tied to a widely known figure or event.

See also bénir, béni.

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