-kin

suffix

Used to form adjectives expressing resemblance or likeness to, similar to -like.

“alkin”

Similar
-cule-ee-el-et-ette-icle-ie-le
OriginOld English cynna ← Proto-West Germanic *kuni ← Proto-Germanic *kunją →
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

-kin1

suffix-kin (adjective-forming suffix, not comparable)
  1. dialectalnot comparableUsed to form adjectives expressing resemblance or likeness to, similar to -like.

    alkin

    4 more examples

    Dutchkin

    ilkin

    weirdkin

    whatkin

  2. not comparableplural -kinUsed to form nouns having qualities of or belonging to a particular kind, class, or sort.

    otakukin

    1 more example

    otherkin

-kin2

suffix-kin (noun-forming suffix, plural -kins)

plural -kins · alternative -ikin

  1. archaicForming diminutives of nouns.

    Synonyms: -cule, -ee, -el, -et, -ette, -icle, -ie, -le

Synonyms & antonyms

suffixForming diminutives of nouns.

Similar
-cule-ee-el-et-ette-icle-ie-le-let-ling-ole-ule-ymini-micro-nano-
Also see
-cule-ee-el-et-ette-icle-ie-le-let-lingmicro-mini-nano--ole-ule-y

Origin

-kin · suffix

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  2. Proto-Germanic*kunją
  3. Proto-West Germanic*kuni
  4. Old Englishcynna
  5. English-kin

From Middle English -kin, -kinne, -kunne, from Old English cynna, the genitive plural of cynn (“kind, sort, rank”), used in compounds.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

-kin · suffix

  1. Proto-West Germanic*-ikīn
  2. Middle Dutch-kin
  3. Old English-ca
  4. Middle English-kyn
  5. English-kin

From Middle English -kyn, (also as -ke, -k), perhaps from Old English -ca, but probably instead from Middle Dutch -kin, apparently representing Proto-West Germanic *-ikīn, *-ukīn, a double diminutive, from *-ik, *-uk (> Old English -oc) + *-īn (compare Old English -en). Cognate with Dutch -ken, Low German -ken, German -chen, Old English -ċen. More at -ock, -en.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Middle Dutch

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

-kin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-kin

MLA

“-kin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-kin. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-kin,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-kin.

Source: -kin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.