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; gender ¹.

Origin of -kin²

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

Example Sentences

How does one go about helping a very elderly man who has only me as his next of kin?

From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026

Identities of the deceased service members will be withheld for 24 hours after next of kin is informed.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

A local magistrate ordered that the bodies be handed over to the Iranian embassy in Colombo for repatriation to the next of kin.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

The names of the those who died were being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

She was still feeling cautious, and more than a little wary of strangers, but...Mama had taught her the rule of kin.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray