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.
Supt Chris Clarke, the Met's lead for emergency response policing in the area, said the force was urgently working to identify the victim and inform his next of kin.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Complicating matters, he has never been particularly generous or nurturing, and he has no spouse, children or other immediate next of kin.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Even if you are his legal next of kin, it does not obligate you to administer his estate or arrange the funeral.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
The force added his body had been formally identified by his family and his next of kin made aware, and asked for their privacy to be respected.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
She contacted the undertaker and called Adek’s children, who were my next of kin, and then called Frank to tell him the news.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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.
