Race; family; breed; kind.
"The Mayan calendar's term k'in is sometimes spelled as kin in older texts."
A primitive Chinese musical instrument of the cittern kind, with from five to twenty-five silken strings.
Alternative form of k'in
In plain English: Kin refers to your family members, especially those related by blood.
"The ancient Maya believed their kin were deeply connected to the cosmos."
Usage: The term is most commonly used as an adjective meaning related by blood or marriage, typically appearing in the phrase "of kin" or "in kin." Avoid using it as a verb unless referring specifically to the archaic pronunciation of "can," which is rarely encountered in modern writing.
Pronunciation spelling of can.
"The phonetic guide lists 'kin' as a pronunciation variant of the word 'can'."
In plain English: To kin someone means to treat them as if they were your own family member, even though you aren't actually related by blood or marriage.
"I kin't believe how quickly the summer flew by."
related by blood
"My cousins came to visit, and we spent the entire day together as close kin."
Related by blood or marriage, akin. Generally used in "kin to".
"The ancient traditions of our people are kin to those found across much of Europe."
In plain English: Kin describes people who are related to each other by blood or marriage, such as your family members.
"Though distant, we felt a strong sense of kinship with our cousins from Ireland."
Kinshasa
"The capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is often referred to by its French name, Kinshasa."
The word kin comes from Old English kyn, meaning "kind" or "sort." Its roots trace back to a Proto-Indo-European verb meaning "to produce," originally referring to race or generation.