kind
1[ kahynd ]
/ kaɪnd /
adjective, kind·er, kind·est.
of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person: a kind and loving person.
having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence: kind words.
indulgent, considerate, or helpful; humane (often followed by to): to be kind to animals.
British Dialect. loving; affectionate.
SYNONYMS FOR kind
QUIZZES
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Question 1 of 10
seclusion
Origin of kind
1synonym study for kind
1. Kind, gracious, kindhearted, kindly imply a sympathetic attitude toward others, and a willingness to do good or give pleasure. Kind implies a deep-seated characteristic shown either habitually or on occasion by considerate behavior: a kind father. Gracious often refers to kindness from a superior or older person to a subordinate, an inferior, a child, etc.: a gracious monarch. Kindhearted implies an emotionally sympathetic nature, sometimes easily imposed upon: a kindhearted old woman. Kindly, a mild word, refers usually to general disposition, appearance, manner, etc.: a kindly face.
Definition for kind (2 of 2)
kind2
[ kahynd ]
/ kaɪnd /
noun
a class or group of individual objects, people, animals, etc., of the same nature or character, or classified together because they have traits in common; category: Our dog is the same kind as theirs.
nature or character as determining likeness or difference between things: These differ in degree rather than in kind.
a person or thing as being of a particular character or class: He is a strange kind of hero.
a more or less adequate or inadequate example of something; sort: The vines formed a kind of roof.
Archaic.
- the nature, or natural disposition or character.
- manner; form.
Obsolete. gender; sex.
Origin of kind
2First recorded before 900; Middle English kinde, Old English gecynd “nature, race, origin”; cognate with Old Norse kyndi, Old High German kikunt, Latin gēns (genitive gentis ); see kin
usage note for kind
The phrase these (or those ) kind of, followed by a plural noun ( these kind of flowers; those kind of shoes ) is frequently condemned as ungrammatical because it is said to combine a plural demonstrative ( these; those ) with a singular noun, kind. Historically, kind is an unchanged or unmarked plural noun like deer, folk, sheep, and swine, and the construction these kind of is an old one, occurring in the writings of Shakespeare, Swift, Jane Austen, and, in modern times, Jimmy Carter and Winston Churchill. Kind has also developed the plural kinds, evidently because of the feeling that the old pattern was incorrect. These kind of nevertheless persists in use, especially in less formal speech and writing. In edited, more formal prose, this kind of and these kinds of are more common. Sort of has been influenced by the use of kind as an unchanged plural: these sort of books. This construction too is often considered incorrect and appears mainly in less formal speech and writing.
Kind (or sort ) of as an adverbial modifier meaning “somewhat” occurs in informal speech and writing: Sales have been kind (or sort ) of slow these last few weeks.
Kind (or sort ) of as an adverbial modifier meaning “somewhat” occurs in informal speech and writing: Sales have been kind (or sort ) of slow these last few weeks.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for kind
British Dictionary definitions for kind (1 of 2)
kind1
/ (kaɪnd) /
adjective
Word Origin for kind
Old English gecynde natural, native; see kind ²
British Dictionary definitions for kind (2 of 2)
kind2
/ (kaɪnd) /
noun
Word Origin for kind
Old English gecynd nature; compare Old English cyn kin, Gothic kuni race, Old High German kikunt, Latin gens
usage for kind
The mixture of plural and singular constructions, although often used informally with kind and sort, should be avoided in serious writing: children enjoy those kinds (not those kind) of stories; these sorts (not these sort) of distinctions are becoming blurred
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Idioms and Phrases with kind
kind
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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