single word counterpart to the word 'insidious' when the results are beneficial
I’ve been trying to think of a single word counterpart to the word insidious.
Oxford Dictionaries:
insidious (adjective), Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with very harmful effects.
The meaning I require (to describe the action of yeast say within dough or a must, and by metaphorical extension, small acts of kindness in society) is
Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, with beneficial effects that eventually make a great difference.
There are related words with no implications of good or evil effect: Thesaurus.com gives synonyms for pervasive including permeating and pervading.
Is there though a single word (not a phrase, proverb … please) with the required meaning?
Well, it's kind of simplistic, but it can't be construed as negative... You could use "blossoming".
If you're talking about a societal trend or social movement, I'm afraid the most recognized term is a phrase: grass-roots. (It usually has positive connotations.) (US)
The term burgeoning can mean
To begin to grow or blossom. American Heritage
However, it often has a connotation of rapid or increasing growth.
Perhaps "nurturing" would be suitable.
I would suggest the word leavening.
Practically, leaven is any substance that, added to dough, causes it to rise and increase in size, ready for baking.
But it has, also, a metaphorical meaning :
a pervasive influence that modifies something or transforms it for the better. "they acted as an intellectual leaven to the warriors who dominated the city"
{ODO}
Accumulative (adj) gradually increasing
Proceeding in a such a way to make accumulative progress and make a great difference
The verb germinate, which by definition is always positive, is normally reserved to biology but it can be employed in a figurative and metaphorical sense too.
Laying/Creating the perfect conditions for [it] to germinate and make a great difference
Cambridge Dictionary defines it as
germinate verb (SEED)
- specialized biology to (cause a seed to) start growing:
germinate verb (IDEA)
- to start developing: I felt an idea germinating in my head/mind.