kindred

K5I1N1D2R1E1D2
/ˈkɪndɹɪd//ˈkɪndɹəd/

noun

Distant and close relatives, collectively; kin.

Less commonScrabble 13

Meanings

kindred1

nounkindred (countable and uncountable, plural kindreds)

plural kindreds · alternative obsolete kinred

  1. countableoftenpluralplural onlyuncountableDistant and close relatives, collectively; kin.
  2. countableoftenpluralplural onlyuncountablePeople of the same ethnic descent, not including speaker; brethren.

    *Behold he commeth with clouds, and euery eye ſhal ſee him,and they alſo which pearced him: and all kinreds of the earth ſhall waıle becauſe of him: euen ſo. Amen.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Rev 1:7

    Synonyms: brethren, kinship

  3. countableA grouping of relatives.

    Cla. By heauen, I thinke there is no man ſecure / But the Queenes Kindred, and night-walking Heralds,[…]

    c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]
  4. uncountableBlood relationship.

    He that is in Distress tho' a stranger has a right to claim kindred with the wealthy—

    1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, V.i
  5. uncountableAffinity, likeness.
  6. countableOne who is kindred, literally or figuratively; a kin, kinsman.

    And what I wouldn't give to find a soulmate?/Someone else to catch this drift/And what I wouldn't give to meet a kindred?

    1995, Alanis Morissette, “All I Really Want”, in Jagged Little Pill
  7. GermaniccountablelifestyleA household or group following the modern pagan faith of Heathenry or Ásatrú.

    Not all, but many people believe that if you're not in a kindred, then you are not a real Norse Pagan or heathen.

    2019 May 20, Theodoric Dukka, A Heathen's Guide: Experiences & Advice On Magic & Spiritworking, →ISBN, page 101
    2 more examples

    We talked with Jonina about our kindred, Heathenry in the United States, Asatru in Iceland, and the details of our religious practice.[…]

    2009, Mark Ludwig Stinson, Heathen Gods: A Collection of Essays Concerning the Folkway of Our People, page 174

    Your chosen kindred or other group is a Venn circle that contains you, but it may not be the same circle as your family.

    2013 November 8, Patricia M. Lafayllve, A Practical Heathen's Guide to Asatru, Llewellyn Worldwide, →ISBN, page 117

    Synonyms: hearth, garth, stead

adjectivekindred (not comparable)

alternative obsolete kinred

  1. not comparableOf the same nature, or of similar character.

    the kindred relationship between neuroscience and neurology

    1 more example

    1924, Aristotle, Metaphysics, translated by W. D. Ross, Nashotah, Wisconsin, USA: The Classical Library, 2001, book 1, part 1. We have said in the Ethics what the difference is between art and science and the other kindred faculties;

  2. not comparableConnected, related, cognate, akin.

    kindred tongues

Kindred2

proper noun
  1. A locality in Central Coast Council, northern Tasmania, Australia.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounPeople of the same ethnic descent, not including speaker; brethren.

nounA household or group following the modern pagan faith of Heathenry or Ásatrú.

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivesimilar in quality or character

adjectiverelated by blood or marriage

Similar

noungroup of people related by blood or marriage

Similar
kinkin groupkinship groupclantribe

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

kindred · noun, adjective

  1. Old English*cynrēd
  2. Middle Englishkyndrede
  3. Englishkindred

From Middle English kyndrede, from older kynrede (“kindred”), from Old English *cynrēd, *cynrǣden (“kindred, family, stock”), from cynn (“kind, kin, lineage”) + -rǣden (“condition, state”). Equivalent to kin + -red, see these. The -d- is epenthetic between a nasal and a liquid (as e.g. in spindle).

Full word history & related roots →

Kindred · proper noun

Named after local businessman William S. Kindred.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek συγγενικός
  • συγγενικός (sungenikós)of the same nature
Bulgarian род, клан
  • род (rod)people of same ethnic descent
  • клан (klan)people of same ethnic descent
  • сроден (sroden)of the same nature
  • сходен (shoden)of the same nature
Catalan saga
  • sagapeople of same ethnic descent
Chinese Mandarin 親屬 /亲属, 眷屬 /眷属
  • 親屬 /亲属 (qīnshǔ)people of same ethnic descent
  • 眷屬 /眷属 (juànshǔ)people of same ethnic descent
Dutch soortgenoten, gelijkaardig
  • soortgenotenpeople of same ethnic descent
  • gelijkaardigof the same nature
  • gelijkwaardigof the same nature
  • equivalentof the same nature
Finnish samankaltainen
  • samankaltainenof the same nature
French tribu
  • tribupeople of same ethnic descent
German Stammesbrüder, Stammesgeschwister
  • Stammesbrüderpeople of same ethnic descent
  • Stammesgeschwisterpeople of same ethnic descent
  • Artgenossenpeople of same ethnic descent
  • verwandtof the same nature
  • gleichartigof the same nature
  • ähnlichof the same nature
Italian affine
  • affineof the same nature
Polish pokrewny
  • pokrewnyof the same nature
Portuguese semelhante
  • semelhanteof the same nature
Russian ро́дственный
  • ро́дственный (ródstvennyj)of the same nature
Spanish etnia
  • etniapeople of same ethnic descent
Swedish besläktad
  • besläktadof the same nature
Ukrainian споріднений
  • споріднений (sporidnenyj)of the same nature
Cite this entry
APA

kindred. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kindred

MLA

“kindred.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kindred. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kindred,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kindred.

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