kinsman

noun

kins·​man ˈkinz-mən How to pronounce kinsman (audio)
: relative
specifically : a male relative

Examples of kinsman in a Sentence

to protect the family honor, he sought to revenge the murder of his kinsman
Recent Examples on the Web At the time of President Lincoln's assassination, my father was in Washington visiting his kinsman, Col. Thomas M. Vincent, who was on the staff of the Adjutant General. Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, 3 Sep. 2020 The Boy Who Flew Photograph by Heritage Images/Getty Images Banished from Athens for killing a kinsman, the inventor Daedalus plays a key role in the Minotaur myth. Amaranta Sbardella, National Geographic, 1 Oct. 2019 Women were rewarded for refusing to shelter men, including kinsmen, who were involved in the genocide, and for testifying against their rapists. Rania Abouzeid, National Geographic, 15 Oct. 2019 Their kinsmen, already in the United States, have been vital factors in farm and workshop for generations. Lily Rothman, Time, 20 June 2018 The warriors butchered the people and used the heads of Lewis’s kinsmen as decoration for their belts. Emily Bernard, The New Republic, 19 June 2018 Best of all, Mazibuko believes his friend and kinsman's experiment has worked. Chuck Yarborough, cleveland.com, 21 Feb. 2018 One of my favorite historical titles is cardinal nipote, Italian for cardinal nephew, which would be awarded when a pope appointed a kinsman to the College of Cardinals. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2018 Name Withheld What your kinsman is doing is, of course, wrong. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kinsman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kinsman was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near kinsman

Cite this Entry

“Kinsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinsman. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

kinsman

noun
kins·​man ˈkinz-mən How to pronounce kinsman (audio)
: a relative usually by birth
especially : a male relative

More from Merriam-Webster on kinsman

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