Benignity is a noun that refers to kindness or tolerance toward others.
The Latin word bene (BAY nay) means ‘good’ or ‘well’ and is the ancestor of such English words as benefactor, beneficial and benefit. Benignity first became a product of Middle English, where it referred to a single act of kindness. More recently, it refers to kindness or acceptance in general. For example:
My parents always stressed the importance of benignity. The need to treat others with basic human kindness becomes all the more important in a world that gets smaller and smaller.
