Kindred Meaning
/ˈkɪndɹɪd/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounDistant and close relatives, collectively; kin.
nounPeople of the same ethnic descent, not including speaker; brethren.
Sentence Examples
I found a kindred spirit in Bob.
He and I are kindred spirits.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The two travelers discovered they shared a ____ spirit when they first met.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He felt a ____ spirit with the old man, who shared his love for rare books and ancient history today.
Word Origin & History
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).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"*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:
"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]:
"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:
"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:
"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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The two travelers discovered they shared a ____ spirit when they first met.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He felt a ____ spirit with the old man, who shared his love for rare books and ancient history today.