next of kin

noun

Closest blood relative, heir to inheritance.

“Shall we inform the next of kin of his passing?”

Similar
loved onenear relativeclose one
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Meanings

nounnext of kin (plural next of kin)
  1. Closest blood relative, heir to inheritance.

    Shall we inform the next of kin of his passing?

    1 more example

    Lord Bentley has passed away; notify the next of kin.

  2. Close friend, spouse, or partner (for example on a hospital admission form), one of someone's close ones.

    Synonyms: loved one, near relative, close one

Synonyms & antonyms

nounClose friend, spouse, or partner (for example on a hospital admission form), one of someone's close ones.

Similar
loved onenear relativeclose one
Also see
close onenear relative

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 直系親屬 /直系亲属, 最近親屬 /最近亲属
  • 直系親屬 /直系亲属 (zhíxì qīnshǔ)closest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • 最近親屬 /最近亲属 (zuìjìn qīnshǔ)closest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • 直系親屬 /直系亲属 (zhíxì qīnshǔ)spouse, close friend, close relative
  • 最近親屬 /最近亲属 (zuìjìn qīnshǔ)spouse, close friend, close relative
Danish pårørende
  • pårørendespouse, close friend, close relative
Dutch naaste verwant
  • naaste verwantclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
Finnish lähiomainen, lähiomainen
  • lähiomainenclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • lähiomainenspouse, close friend, close relative
  • läheinenspouse, close friend, close relative
  • omainenspouse, close friend, close relative
French parent, proche
  • parentclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • prochespouse, close friend, close relative
German Angehöriger, Angehörige
  • Angehörigerclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • Angehörigeclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • Angehörigerspouse, close friend, close relative
Icelandic nánasti ættingi
  • nánasti ættingiclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
Italian parente prossimo, parente stretto
  • parente prossimoclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • parente strettoclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • familiare strettoclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
Norwegian Bokmål nærmeste pårørende, pårørende
  • nærmeste pårørendeclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • pårørendespouse, close friend, close relative
Persian خویشاوندان نزدیک
  • خویشاوندان نزدیک (xišâvandân-e nazdik)closest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
Polish najbliższy krewny
  • najbliższy krewnyclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
Portuguese parente mais próximo
  • parente mais próximoclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
Spanish pariente más cercano, pariente más próximo
  • pariente más cercanoclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • pariente más próximoclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • allegadoclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
  • allegadospouse, close friend, close relative
  • ser queridospouse, close friend, close relative
  • deudospouse, close friend, close relative
Swedish anhörig
  • anhörigspouse, close friend, close relative
Turkish birinci dereceden akraba
  • birinci dereceden akrabaclosest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
Ukrainian найбли́жчий ро́дич
  • найбли́жчий ро́дич (najblýžčyj ródyč)closest blood relative, often heir to inheritance
Cite this entry
APA

next of kin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/next%20of%20kin

MLA

“next of kin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/next%20of%20kin. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “next of kin,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/next%20of%20kin.

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