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.
"I'm the only child, the only next of kin really in the family," Haldia told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026
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
Sarah and her sister, Laura Lindsay, were Daniel's next of kin and have spent the years since his death navigating the coronial system.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 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
In the midst of all this, someone told Deborah that as Henrietta’s next of kin, she could request a copy of her mother’s records from Hopkins to learn about her death.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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.
