kind Meaning & Definition
What Does Kind Mean?
Kind is a noun that means A type, race or category; a group of entities that have common characteristics such that they may be grouped together. It is also used to mean A makeshift or otherwise atypical specimen. As an adjective, it means Having a benevolent, courteous, friendly, generous, gentle, liberal, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature or disposition, marked by consideration for – and service to – others.
Quick Facts About Kind
| Part of speech | noun, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /kaɪnd/ |
| Synonyms | benevolent, genial and gracious |
| Antonyms | unkind |
| Plural | kinds |
| Comparative / superlative | kinder, kindest |
Kind Definition (Noun)
- A type, race or category; a group of entities that have common characteristics such that they may be grouped together.
What kind of person are you?
- A makeshift or otherwise atypical specimen.
The opening served as a kind of window.
- One's inherent nature; character, natural disposition.
- Family, lineage.
- Manner.
- Goods or services used as payment, as in barter.
in kind
- Equivalent means used as response to an action.
in kind
- Each of the two elements of the communion service, bread and wine.
- The type of a type constructor or a higher-order type operator.
The kind of any primitive data type is *, corresponding to a nullary constructor.
- Food in a particular category.
Kind as an Adjective
- Having a benevolent, courteous, friendly, generous, gentle, liberal, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature or disposition, marked by consideration for – and service to – others.
- Affectionate.
a kind man; a kind heart
- Favorable.
- Mild, gentle, forgiving
The years have been kind to Richard Gere; he ages well.
- Gentle; tractable; easily governed.
a horse kind in harness
- Characteristic of the species; belonging to one's nature; natural; native.
Noun
- Goods or services used as payment, as e.g. in barter.
Synonyms of Kind
Antonyms of Kind
Kind in a Sentence
What kind of person are you?
What kind of ice-cream would you like? There's chocolate, strawberry, and lemon.
Neither of them is the marrying kind.
The opening served as a kind of window.
in kind
I don't have any money but I can pay in kind by washing the dishes.
I'll pay in kind for his insult.
The kind of any primitive data type is *, corresponding to a nullary constructor.
a kind man; a kind heart
The years have been kind to Richard Gere; he ages well.
a horse kind in harness
This is a strange kind of tobacco.
Word Forms & Grammar
kind (plural kinds)
kind (comparative kinder, superlative kindest)
Words That Rhyme With Kind
Origin of Kind
Origin 1: From Middle English kynde, kinde, from Old English cynd, ġecynd (“inherent nature, disposition, kind, gender, generation, race”), from Proto-West Germanic *kundi, from Proto-Germanic *kinþiz, related to Proto-Germanic *kunją (“race, kin”) and Old English cennan (“to bear, give birth”).
Origin 2: Cognate with Old High German gikunt (“nature, kind”), Icelandic kind (“race, species, kind”). Doublet of gens, genesis, and jati. See also kin.
Origin 3: From Middle English kynde, kinde, from Old English cynde, ġecynde (“innate, natural, native”), from Old English cynd, ġecynd (“nature, kind”).
Common Questions About Kind
Is kind a noun or an adjective?
Kind is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as an adjective.
What is another word for kind?
Close synonyms of kind are benevolent, genial and gracious. See the full list of kind synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of kind?
The opposite of kind is unkind.
What is the plural of kind?
The plural of kind is kinds.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of kind?
The comparative form is kinder and the superlative form is kindest.