different between complaisant vs benign

English

Etymology

From French complaisant (“willing to please”), from complaire, from Latin complac?re, present active infinitive of complace? (“please well”), from com- (“with”) + place? (“please”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /k?m?ple?s?nt/
• Homophone: complacent
• (US) IPA^(key): /k?m?ple?s?nt/, /k?m?ple?z?nt/

Adjective

complaisant (comparative more complaisant, superlative most complaisant)

1. Compliant.
2. Willing to do what pleases others; obliging.
3. (archaic) Polite; showing respect.

Usage notes

• Complaisant should not be confused with its homophone, complacent.

Derived terms

• complaisantly

Related terms

• complaisance

Translations

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??.pl?.z??/

Verb

complaisant

1. present participle of complaire

Adjective

complaisant (feminine singular complaisante, masculine plural complaisants, feminine plural complaisantes)

1. complaisant, obliging, eager to please

Derived terms

• mari complaisant

Further reading

• “complaisant” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

From Middle English benigne, benygne, from Old French benigne, from Latin benignus (“kind, good”), from bene (“well”) + genus (“origin, kind”). Compare malign.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b??na?n/

Adjective

benign (comparative benigner or more benign, superlative benignest or most benign)

1. Kind; gentle; mild.
   • 1826, Mary Shelley, The Last Man, part 1, chapter 9

     But though we both entertained these ideas, we differed in their application. Resentment added also a sting to my censure; and I reprobated Raymond's conduct in severe terms. Adrian was more benign, more considerate.

2. (of a climate or environment) mild and favorable
3. (in combination) Not harmful to the environment.

4. (medicine) Not posing any serious threat to health; not particularly aggressive or recurrent.

Synonyms

• (medicine): non-malignant

Antonyms

• malign
• malignant

Derived terms

• benignly
• benignant
• benignity
• benign neglect

Translations