kinship

noun

kin·​ship ˈkin-ˌship How to pronounce kinship (audio)
: the quality or state of being kin : relationship

Examples of kinship in a Sentence

He feels a strong kinship with other survivors of the war. feelings of kinship between the team's players and their fans
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But in the absence of Valérie and Lucas, Michelle develops a kinship with her best friend’s son, Vincent (Pierre Lottin), who’s fresh out of prison and looking for work. David Opie, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2025 Influenced by Charles Darwin’s work on evolution, Maine differentiated between a dynamic West that embraced the rights of individuals and a frozen non-West forever caught in the throes of kinship obligations. Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025 The word that resonated the most to everyone was kinship. Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 17 Feb. 2025 The kinship Jordan felt with Caldwell-Pope is shared throughout Denver’s locker room, which welcomed him back with warm greetings Thursday night after the Nuggets defeated the Magic. Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for kinship

Word History

Etymology

see kin entry 1

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kinship was in 1833

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kinship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinship. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

kinship

noun
kin·​ship ˈkin-ˌship How to pronounce kinship (audio)
: the quality or state of being kin : relationship

More from Merriam-Webster on kinship

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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