What does "benjamin" mean?
A balsamic resin from the bark of Styrax trees used in perfumes, incense, and medicine; benzoin resin.
Benjamin
/ˈbɛnd͡ʒəmɪn/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A balsamic resin from the bark of Styrax trees used in perfumes, incense, and medicine; benzoin resin.
- Grammar: benjamin is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: asa dulcis, ben, benni, benny.
- Usage evidence: People will accept your idea much more readily if you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first.
How to use "benjamin"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "benjamin" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "benjamin" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "benjamin" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "benjamin" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "benjamin" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "asa dulcis" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "benjamin", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A balsamic resin from the bark of Styrax trees used in perfumes, incense, and medicine; benzoin resin. countable, uncountable
- 2 A kind of upper coat for men. UK, dated, slang
"something which is not long enough to constitute a benjamin, and too long for a dress coat or spencer"
- 3 Alternative letter-case form of Benjamin: a US $100 bill. US, alt-of, slang
- 4 A $100 bill, which bears a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. US, in-plural, often, slang
"Fuck the past, let's dwell on the 500SL, the E&J and ginger ale / The way my pockets swell to the rims with Benjamins"
- 5 gum resin used especially in treating skin irritation wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A type of tree which produces benzoin or has similar properties; specifically, Styrax benzoin, Lindera benzoin; a Benjamin bush. countable, uncountable
Proper Noun
- 1 The youngest of the sons of Jacob and Rachel in the Bible. countable, uncountable
"And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin."
- 2 A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin. countable, uncountable
""Well, who the hell ever thinks some boy with a name like Benjamin is going to kill someone?" I said. "It's like someone named Winnie the Pooh taking hostages!""
- 3 A small city, the county seat of Knox County, Texas, United States. countable, uncountable
- 4 A patrilineal surname transferred from the given name. countable, uncountable
Example
"People will accept your idea much more readily if you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "benjamin"?
Common synonyms include: asa dulcis, ben, benni, benny, benzoin, c-note.
How do you use "benjamin" in a sentence?
People will accept your idea much more readily if you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first.
How do you pronounce "benjamin"?
Pronounced /ˈbɛnd͡ʒəmɪn/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From benzoin, modified by folk etymology to match the name Benjamin.
Etymology 2
From the image of Benjamin Franklin on the US $100 bill.
Etymology 3
From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right/south or son of days”). Authorities differ on the meaning of the original Hebrew. Philo of Alexandria, the Samaritan Pentateuch The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs and Midrash Leḳaḥ-Ṭob understand יָמִין to mean "days" (a meaning attested in Daniel 12:13) understanding the name to mean "son of days (i.e. old age)" (compare to the direct translations into Arabic بِنْ يَومِين (bin yawmīn) "son of the days" and Arabic بِنْ يَمِين (bin yamīn) "son of the right hand"), a formula paraphrased in Genesis 40:22 where Benjamin is described as a child of Jacob's old age. Rashi in his commentary on Genesis also gives this as a possible meaning but favors an understanding of יָמִין to mean "right" in the sense of "the south", noting that Benjamin was the only son of Jacob born in the south. Jerome understood the name to mean "son of the right hand" and Gesenius speculated that this expression might have meant "son of good fortune".