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• kin
  kin

  noun

  a person's relatives collectively; kinfolk.
• -kin
  -kin

  a diminutive suffix of nouns.

kin

¹ American  

[kin] / kɪn /

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.

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adjective

1. of the same family; related; akin.

2. of the same kind or nature; having affinity.

idioms

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

   Although their surnames are identical they are not of kin.

-kin ² American  

1. a diminutive suffix of nouns.

   lambkin.

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kin ¹ British  

/ kɪn /

noun

1. a person's relatives collectively; kindred

2. a class or group with similar characteristics

3. See next of kin

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adjective

1. (postpositive) related by blood

2. a less common word for akin

-kin ² British  

suffix

1. small

   lambkin

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kin More Idioms  

1. see kith and kin.

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Usage

What does -kin mean? The suffix -kin is used as a diminutive. In other words, it denotes that something is "little," either literally or figuratively. It is very occasionally used in a variety of informal and everyday terms. The form -kin comes from Middle English. Similar diminutives in English include -en (as in kitten) and -y (as in baby). Check out our entries for both suffixes to learn how frequently they appear.

Other Word Forms

• kinless
  adjective

Etymology

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; see gender ¹.

Origin of -kin²

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

Explanation

Some say kin, others say "family" or "relatives." Call them what you will, but you’re stuck with those people related to you by blood or marriage. When someone refers to their kith and kin, she means her friends and family. Both words date back to Old English, with kin reaching back to the 700s. Originally referring to one’s family or race, kin narrowed to refer just to one’s blood relations. Your "next of kin" is your closest family member: spouse, child, parent, or sibling.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kin -kin

Contemplating the changes, Risk pulled up on her phone a century-old black-and-white photo of her Nordic kin in Flathead County.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

The van driver's next of kin has been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers, the force added.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

The man is believed to be their father, and his identity is being withheld until his next of kin is notified, according to the captain.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

She added there had been "no safety briefing" beforehand, none of the participants had the right type of leash for their boards in these conditions and Lloyd did not have any next of kin details.

From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026

He also looked more human than a typical giant, without the dragonlike legs of his larger kin.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

The same is the case with the superadded syllables: -kin being Saxon; -et Norman.

From A Handbook of the English Language by Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)