kindred

American  

[kin-drid] / ˈkɪn drɪd /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

• kindreds
  plural

1. a person's relatives collectively; kinfolk; kin.

2. a group of persons related to another; family, tribe, or clan.

3. relationship by birth or descent, or sometimes by marriage; kinship.

4. resemblance or connection; affinity.

   spiritual kindred.

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adjective

1. associated by origin, nature, qualities, etc..

   kindred languages.

2. having the same belief, attitude, or feeling.

   We are kindred spirits on the issue of gun control.

3. related by birth or descent; having kinship.

   kindred tribes.

4. belonging to kin or relatives.

   kindred blood.

kindred British  

/ ˈkɪndrɪd /

adjective

1. having similar or common qualities, origin, etc

2. related by blood or marriage

3. a person with whom one has something in common

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noun

1. relationship by blood

2. similarity in character

3. a person's relatives collectively

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• kindredness
  noun
• kindredship
  noun
• kindredless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• kindreds
  plural

Etymology

Origin of kindred

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, variant (with epenthetic d ) of kinrede; see kin, -red

Explanation

Your kindred are your people. If you say are going to visit your kindred during the holidays, that means you are going to visit your relatives. The word kindred can be used as either an adjective or a noun. The noun version is somewhat archaic — you are more likely to encounter this word in classic literature than in casual conversation. You may be more familiar with the adjective version of the word, which has gained popular usage in the term “kindred spirit” or “kindred soul,” which is used to describe those who share similar attitudes, characteristics, or beliefs.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kindred kindreds

After years of feeling like an oddball, Dean was pleased to be surrounded by kindred spirits: “All the people were the weird kids in their old school, right?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

It made me laugh so hard, I knew from that point on that he was a kindred spirit.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

He also raved about chicken fried steak, posting on X: “Every Scottish person in America needs to immediately try Chicken Fried Steak, and you’ll realise we and the Americans are kindred spirits.”

From Salon ● Jun. 17, 2026

After buying a copy of Allan Taylor's 1978 LP The Traveller, Ed Sheeran may have spotted something of a kindred spirit in his fellow singer-songwriter.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

A string of fireflies flashed on the lawn, as though with kindred enthusiasm.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

Come with me as I follow this host of real-deal Dallas kindreds.

From Southern Living ● Sep. 16, 2010

Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues.

From Time Magazine Archive

Never again shall there be any such league of Elves and Men; for Men multiply and the Firstborn decrease, and the two kindreds are estranged.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

This outburst perhaps relieved his feelings a little; for apparently the red squirrel needs to give his emotions vent more than any other member of the wild kindreds.

From The Haunters of the Silences A Book of Animal Life by Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts

The solidarity of moral interests that is realized there, embraces all the kindreds of the earth.

From The Expositor's Bible: Ephesians by G. G. Findlay