kin

¹

[ kin ]

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. a person's relatives collectively; kinfolk.
2. family relationship or kinship.
3. a group of persons descended from a common ancestor or constituting a people, clan, tribe, or family.
4. a relative or kinsman.
5. someone or something of the same or similar kind:

   philosophy and its kin, theology.

adjective

1. of the same family; related; akin.
2. of the same kind or nature; having affinity.

-kin

²

1. a diminutive suffix of nouns:

   lambkin.

-kin

¹

suffix forming nouns

1. small

   lambkin

kin

²

/ kɪn /

noun

1. a person's relatives collectively; kindred
2. a class or group with similar characteristics
3. See next of kin

adjective

1. postpositive related by blood
2. a less common word for akin

Other Words From

• kinless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of kin¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English cyn; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German kunni, Old Norse kyn, Gothic kuni; akin to Latin genus, Greek génos, Sanskrit jánas; gender ¹.

Origin of kin²

Middle English < Middle Dutch, Middle Low German -ken; cognate with German -chen

Word History and Origins

Origin of kin¹

from Middle Dutch, of West Germanic origin; compare German -chen

Origin of kin²

Old English cyn; related to Old Norse kyn family, Old High German kind child, Latin genus kind

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. of kin, of the same family; related; akin:

   Although their surnames are identical they are not of kin.

More idioms and phrases containing kin

see kith and kin .