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
Related Words
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.
That kinship is what makes Coppola’s first documentary, “Marc by Sofia,” such a thrill — and also what occasionally holds the film back.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
These kinship networks were largely organized through maternal lines, with one mitochondrial lineage dominating, pointing to a key role for women in maintaining family continuity and coordinating movement.
From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026
Heated Rivalry has an undeniable kinship with Asian Boys' Love stories, says Anna, a BL enthusiast since she was a teen.
From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026
In Lee Knight’s film, a chance meeting between a young Black Englishman in the process of finding himself and an elderly, white Englishwoman blossoms into an unexpected kinship — one based on Knight’s experience.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026
What was the danger in showing the kinship between the sufferings of the Negro and the sufferings of other people?
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
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.
