next of kin
Americannoun
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a person's nearest relative or relatives.
The newspaper did not publish the names of casualties until the next of kin had been notified.
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Law. the nearest relative or relatives who share in the estate of a person who dies intestate.
noun
Etymology
Origin of next of kin
First recorded in 1760–70
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.
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
Formal identification of the man who died has not yet taken place and the police said efforts were ongoing to trace his next of kin.
From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026
“How can Rasseem be your next of kin? He practically hates you!”
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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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.