kind

KYND/kaɪnd/

Pluralkinds

Adjectivekinder, kindest

14 meanings of kind

Practice

1
typenouncountable
A group of things that are alike in some way.
What kind of music do you like best?
This kind of bird cannot fly.
UsageSay what kind of music or this kind of bird.
Similartype, sort, variety, category, class
Note
2
caringadjective
Caring about others and showing it by being gentle, helpful, generous, or loving.
Like a warm blanket that makes a cold day feel better.
She is always kind to children who feel left out.
It was kind of him to help the old man cross the street.
UsageSay kind to people, or It's kind of you to help.
Similarcaring, gentle, considerate, generous, thoughtful
Oppositeunkind, cruel, harsh, mean
Note
3
makeshiftnouncountable
A rough, makeshift version of something, not the real thing.
We built a kind of raft out of old barrels.
She made a kind of stew from whatever was left in the fridge.
UsageSay a kind of tent for something that is almost a tent.
Similarsort
Note
4
goods as paymentnoununcountable
Payment made with goods or work instead of money.
The farmer paid the workers in kind with sacks of grain.
They offered help in kind instead of cash.
UsageSay paid in kind for paid with goods.
Oppositecash
Note
5
variety (food)nounCaribbeancountablein compounds
Food that belongs to a certain group or type.
My uncle doesn't eat any meat kind, only vegetables and rice.
We bought ground provisions and some fish kind at the market.
UsageSay fish kind for all kinds of fish.
Similartype, sort, variety
Note

Less common meanings

6
like for likenoununcountable
A response that matches what someone else did to you.
When they were rude to her, she answered in kind.
He helped me move, so I repaid him in kind.
UsageSay answer in kind.
7
mildadjective
Gentle, not harsh, or good to someone, as in 'kind to your skin'.
This soap is kind to dry skin.
The winter was kind this year, with very little snow.
UsageOften with to: kind to dry skin, kind to the planet.
Similargentle, soft, mild
Oppositeharsh
8
easy to handleadjective
Gentle and easy to control or manage.
The old pony is kind and easy for children to ride.
They chose a kind horse for the beginner.
UsageSay a horse is kind when it is easy to ride.
Similardocile, tractable, gentle, manageable, biddable
Oppositeunruly, fractious, intractable
Note
9
true naturenounarchaic
A person's true nature or character.
The generall woorde, is spoken of many, that differ either in kynd, or els in nombre.
1551, Thomas Wilson, The rule of reasonHere, kynd means nature, what something really is at heart.
Must yt nedes folowe that theyr fayth was chaunged in kynde, bycause yt was augmented in degrees.
1533, Thomas More, The second parte of the confutacion of Tyndals answere in whyche is also confuted the chyrche that Tyndale deuysethHere, kynde means nature, so their faith changed in its basic nature.
Note
10
family linenounarchaic
A person's family or family line.
My young love said to me, My mother won’t mind And my father won’t slight you for your lack of kind.
"She Moved through the Fair" (traditional Irish folk song)Here, kind means family background or ancestry.
Note
11
mannernounarchaic
A way of doing something.
Note
12
adjectiveobsolete
Belonging to something's nature, natural to it.
it becommeth sweeter than it should be, and loseth the kind tast.
1601, Pliny the Elder, The Historie of the WorldHere, kind means natural, the taste it has by nature.
Note
13
noun
In computer science, a group that types themselves belong to.
14
noun
One of the two parts of communion: the bread or the wine.

More uses

kind ofsomewhat, or a little

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of kind apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 3–6, 9–11

From Old English cynd, meaning inherent nature or kind, going back to Proto-Germanic words for race and kin. It is related to kin.

Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

Kind descends from Old English cynd. en.wiktionary.org
Old English cynd meant inherent nature or kind. en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry connects it with Proto-Germanic words for race and kin. en.wiktionary.org
Kind is related to kin. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 2, 7–8, 12

From Old English cynde, meaning innate or natural, which came from cynd, meaning nature.

Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

The adjective kind derives from Old English cynde. en.wiktionary.org
Old English cynde meant innate or natural. en.wiktionary.org
Old English cynde derives from the noun cynd. en.wiktionary.org
Old English cynd meant nature. en.wiktionary.org