kinship
Americannoun
-
the state or fact of being of kin; family relationship.
- Synonyms:
- connection
-
relationship by nature, qualities, etc.; affinity.
- Synonyms:
- bearing, connection
noun
-
blood relationship
-
the state of having common characteristics or a common origin
Synonym Usage
See relationship.
Etymology
Origin of kinship
Explanation
Kinship is a family relationship. You might describe the wonderful, close kinship you have with your favorite cousin. Your kin is your family, so it's easy to see that kinship describes family bonds, like the kinship between members of the same Scottish clan or the kinship an uncle feels in the midst of a dozen crazy nieces and nephews. Kinship can also describe a close family-like relationship, like the kinship of the teachers at your school who have worked together for many years and who all care deeply about students and learning.
Vocabulary lists containing kinship
It's All in the Family
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Human Geography - Middle School
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the glut of new brands has made it harder to compete, especially on Sephora shelves, says Moj Mahdara, a beauty entrepreneur who runs the venture-capital firm Kinship Ventures with Gwyneth Paltrow.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025
This story is part of Image’s November Kinship issue, celebrating L.A.’s generous spirit and the artistic collaborations that happen among family and friends.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2025
"This is why the Kinship Theory of Intragenomic Conflict predicts that genes inherited from the mother will support altruistic behavior in honey bees," Breshnahan said.
From Science Daily • Oct. 12, 2023
As science journalist Jaime Green points out in her new book, “The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos,” the 20th century changed all that.
From Washington Post • Apr. 27, 2023
Kinship was reckoned through the mother, since in this way alone could the undivided family be maintained.
From The Position of Woman in Primitive Society A Study of the Matriarchy by Hartley, C. Gasquoine (Catherine Gasquoine)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
