noun
Uncommon
kin
kihn
Kin (noun) means One's relatives, considered together as a group. Example: “She travelled home to spend the holidays with her kin.”
noun
1
One's relatives, considered together as a group.
"She travelled home to spend the holidays with her kin."
"All his kin gathered for the funeral."
adj
1
Related by blood or marriage.
"They are kin through their grandmothers, who were sisters."
"I never knew we were kin until we compared our family trees."
"Although the two families seem very different, they are kin by marriage."
How to use kin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishYour relatives or family, taken as a whole — used in slightly formal or old-fashioned contexts.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
next of kin
kith and kin
close kin
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like kin.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- kins
- Third person singular
- kins
- Past tense
- kinned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She travelled home to spend the holidays with her _____.
Etymology
From Old English cynn, "kind, sort, family," from a very old Germanic root also behind "kind" and, further back, related to Latin genus.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “kin” mean?
The word “kin” means one's relatives, considered together as a group. In plain terms, your relatives or family, taken as a whole — used in slightly formal or old-fashioned contexts.
How do you pronounce “kin”?
“Kin” is pronounced kihn (/kɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “kin” in a sentence?
Here is “kin” used in a sentence: “She travelled home to spend the holidays with her kin.”
What part of speech is “kin”?
Depending on how it is used, “kin” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “kin” come from?
The word “kin” comes from Latin. From Old English cynn, "kind, sort, family," from a very old Germanic root also behind "kind" and, further back, related to Latin genus.
Is “kin” a common word?
“Kin” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “kin” have?
“Kin” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one's relatives, considered together as a group.
What is the difference between "kin" and "family"?
"Kin" specifically refers to one's relatives considered as a group, while "family" is a broader, more everyday word that can also include a household or immediate family unit regardless of blood ties. "Kin" tends to sound more formal or literary.
Is "kin" singular or plural?
"Kin" is a collective noun referring to relatives as a group, and it does not change form for singular or plural — you would say "my kin are visiting," using a plural verb, even though the word itself has no separate plural spelling.
Can "kin" be used as an adjective?
Yes, "kin" can function as an adjective meaning related by blood or marriage, as in "kin relations" or describing two people as "kin to each other."
Is "kin" a formal or old-fashioned word?
"Kin" carries a slightly formal or old-fashioned tone compared to everyday words like "relatives" or "family," and it often appears in legal, literary, or genealogical contexts.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include kin:
