# kind

/ˈkaɪnd/ (US) · /kˈaɪnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/kind
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. friendly and helpful

adjective · CEFR A1

caring about others and wanting to help them; being friendly and generous.

For teachers: having a benevolent, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature; marked by consideration for others.

- It was very kind of you to help me carry these heavy bags.
- The local community was incredibly kind to the refugees, providing them with food, clothing, and temporary housing during the crisis.

### 2. a type or category

noun · CEFR A1

a group of things or people that are similar; a type.

For teachers: a class or group of individual objects, people, or concepts that share common characteristics.

- What kind of music do you usually listen to when you study?
- The biologist identified a rare kind of orchid that only grows in this specific part of the rainforest.

### 3. payment in goods

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

paying for something with goods or services instead of using money.

For teachers: refers to payment made in goods or services rather than in currency; often used in the phrase 'in kind'.

- The farmer paid his rent in kind by giving the owner a portion of the harvest.
- The company offered a settlement in kind, providing advertising credits instead of a cash refund for the service disruption.

### 4. responding with the same action

noun · CEFR B2

doing the same thing to someone that they did to you.

For teachers: a response to an action that is of the same nature or quality; typically used in the phrase 'to respond in kind'.

- When the other team started playing aggressively, our players responded in kind.
- Diplomatic tensions escalated when the embassy was closed and the foreign ministry responded in kind by expelling three diplomats.

## Examples

- It was very kind of you to help me.
- She is a kind neighbor who always checks on the elderly people living on our street.
- The stranger's kind gesture of returning the lost wallet with all its contents intact restored the traveler's faith in the local community.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.