kinfolk

plural noun

kin·​folk ˈkin-ˌfōk How to pronounce kinfolk (audio)
variants or kinfolks

Examples of kinfolk in a Sentence

let's invite all our kinfolk for the holidays
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The father had a massively fresh gash, from his right wrist, up across his whole hand, from banging and breaking iron and glass, to save his kinfolk. Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025 As one of the few Black women making waves in Nashville, Adell notes that the presence of her kinfolk in the Country crowd is increasing – and always appreciated. Essence, 16 Dec. 2024 The people helping to mold those youngsters into thriving, growing girls and boys, their protectors and pillars of strength, are mothers, and grandparents, and nonbiological kinfolk — in some cases, even the D.C. government. Colbert I. King, Washington Post, 14 June 2024 Long, frozen winters and fleeting, lazy summers in this remote area of the country helped forge tightknit bonds — over bonfires, while fishing or snowshoeing, or in musical jam circles — between kinfolk and friends. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 8 Dec. 2023 See All Example Sentences for kinfolk

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kinfolk was in 1873

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kinfolk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinfolk. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

kinfolk

plural noun
kin·​folk ˈkin-ˌfōk How to pronounce kinfolk (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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