kinfolk

plural noun

kin·​folk ˈkin-ˌfōk How to pronounce kinfolk (audio)
variants or kinfolks

Examples of kinfolk in a Sentence

let's invite all our kinfolk for the holidays
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The people helping to mold those youngsters into thriving, growing girls and boys, their protectors and pillars of strength, are mothers, and grandparents, and nonbiological kinfolk — in some cases, even the D.C. government. Colbert I. King, Washington Post, 14 June 2024 Her body of work testifies to deeply held values among African Americans, who revere so many sentimental little things that were denied Black people during the era of enslavement: the ability to freely give your heart to another, keep kinfolk safe and close, and fully embrace the human experience. Craig Seymour, Rolling Stone, 5 Dec. 2023 At the time, Mao Zedong let Inner Mongolians keep the script, in part to distinguish them from kinfolk across the border. Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 10 Dec. 2023 Long, frozen winters and fleeting, lazy summers in this remote area of the country helped forge tightknit bonds — over bonfires, while fishing or snowshoeing, or in musical jam circles — between kinfolk and friends. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 8 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for kinfolk 

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kinfolk was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near kinfolk

Cite this Entry

“Kinfolk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinfolk. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

kinfolk

plural noun
kin·​folk ˈkin-ˌfōk How to pronounce kinfolk (audio)
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!