Word
kindred
Phoneticskin·dred, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɪndɹɪd/
UK/kˈɪndɹəd/
Definitions
01similar in character
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. having similar ideas, feelings, or qualities.
adj. sharing a similar nature, character, or set of beliefs. Often used in the fixed phrase 'kindred spirits'.
“They became best friends immediately because they were kindred spirits who loved nature.”
“The two philosophers found they were kindred souls, sharing a profound skepticism toward the prevailing political theories of their era.”
Usage
Commonly precedes the noun it modifies, particularly in the idiom 'kindred spirits'.
Antonyms
02related by blood
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Formal
adj. coming from the same family or having the same ancestors.
adj. connected by blood relationship or common ancestry.
“The two royal families were kindred tribes from the same northern region.”
“The anthropologist traced the migration patterns of kindred groups across the archipelago to determine their shared linguistic roots.”
Antonyms
03family or relatives
C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Literary · Formal
n. your family and all your relatives.
n. a person's relatives or family collectively; kin.
“He went back to his village to spend the holidays with his kindred.”
“She felt a duty to protect her kindred, even those distant cousins she had never met in person.”
Antonyms
04similarity or connection
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Literary
n. a feeling of being connected or similar to someone or something.
n. a natural liking for or identification with something; affinity.
“She felt a strange kindred with the lonely characters in the book.”
“There is a clear kindred between the two musical styles, despite them developing on different continents.”
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“One hands her work to the next generation, trusting that there are bound to be kindred spirits among them.” “The word was linked to a number of kindred terms: polite, polished, refined, tasteful, well-bred, urbane, fashionable, gay, civil.” “He called this his “fishing” in Cannes, reeling in kindred spirits.” Etymology
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).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. kindred soul
02. kindred spirit
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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