kindred

1 of 2

adjective

kin·​dred ˈkin-drəd How to pronounce kindred (audio)
1
: of a similar nature or character : like
a kindred spirit
2
: of the same ancestry
kindred tribes

kindred

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a group of related individuals
b
: one's relatives
… if his kindred still remain to him …Alexis de Tocqueville
2
: family relationship : kinship

Did you know?

If you believe that advice and relatives are inseparable, the etymology of kindred will prove you right. Kindred comes from a combination of kin and the Old English word ræden ("condition"), which itself comes from the verb rædan, meaning "to advise." Kindred entered English as a noun first during the Middle Ages. That noun, which can refer to a group of related individuals or to one's own relatives, gave rise to the adjective kindred in the 14th century.

Examples of kindred in a Sentence

Adjective philosophy, political theory, and kindred topics I believe she and I are kindred spirits. German and English are kindred languages. Noun He went out to sea, and never saw his kindred again. the kingdom's royal kindred actually numbers in the thousands
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Swain thinks of himself as a kindred soul to the bearded motorcycle enthusiast. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 7 July 2023 Watch The Way Home on Peacock Ginny & Georgia Gilmore Girls fans found a kindred series in this Netflix original, which follows a young mother who moves to a new town with her daughter and son to get a fresh start following the death of her husband. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2023 But the summers of the Pacific Northwest beguiled him, along with an arty scene of kindred directors. Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023 Their voices fill the church with the joyous sounds of a hymn: Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. John Hanc, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Aug. 2023 The conservative Texas duo share both a tendency for political fence-riding and an apparent kindred camaraderie, perhaps in relating to each other’s spinelessness. Prem Thakker, The New Republic, 8 May 2023 Fans of the likes of Maren Ade’s 2016 comedy-drama Toni Erdmann or Alex van Warmerdam’s 2013 psychological thriller Borgman may recognize a kindred sensibility. Catherine Bray, Variety, 6 Apr. 2023 Advertisement Nan finds a kindred soul in Jennifer (Gilbert), a bone-weary nurse’s aide who’s at the Dunkin’ waiting for a tow truck, in the company of her cantankerous elderly patient Joey (King). Celia Wren, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2023 Having made a triumphant re-emergence on the London stage in 2016 as King Lear, Ms. Jackson brings a kindred squall of wintry ferocity to Maud Horsham, a woman with dementia who insists, to deaf ears all around, that her friend Elizabeth has disappeared. John Anderson, WSJ, 30 Dec. 2020
Noun
The French researchers, working with another team in Montreal, Canada, identified a specific problem mutation in this kindred. Markham Heid, Time, 6 Dec. 2022 Hellboy and his team face an underworld prince who plans to awaken a lethal army and use it to reclaim Earth for his magical kindred. Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2021 Third, there is the moderating role of the Umunna (sons of the land), Umuada (daughters of the land) and Ikwu (members of a kindred). Nnamdi Madichie, Quartz, 29 Apr. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kindred.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

attributive use of kindred entry 2

Noun

Middle English kynrede "family, lineage, blood relations, kinship, nation," going back to late Old English cynrǣden "kinship" (attested once as kynrædan, accusative or dative), from cynn "progeny, kin entry 1" + -rǣden, suffixal use of rǣden "condition, stipulation," derivative (in -enn-, feminine noun suffix, going back to *inj-) probably from the base of gerǣde "prepared, ready," gerād "conditioned, disposed" — more at ready entry 1

Note: The noun rǣden, also attested in the senses "rule, direction" and "estimation," has been taken as a derivative of the verb rǣdan "to advise, deliberate, direct," etc. (see read entry 1), though these usages may reflect partial merger with rǣding, the verbal noun of rǣdan. In general, the outcomes of Germanic *raidja- and *rēd- can be difficult to separate in Old English.

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of kindred was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near kindred

Cite this Entry

“Kindred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kindred. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

kindred

1 of 2 noun
kin·​dred ˈkin-drəd How to pronounce kindred (audio)
1
: a group of related individuals
2
: a person's relatives

kindred

2 of 2 adjective
: alike in nature or character
a kindred spirit

Medical Definition

kindred

noun
kin·​dred ˈkin-drəd How to pronounce kindred (audio)
: a group of related individuals : a genealogical group
incidence of cancer among members of a kindred

More from Merriam-Webster on kindred

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!