kinsfolk
/'kinzfouk/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun 1. One's relatives or family members, especially those considered as a group sharing a common ancestry. This word refers to the collective body of people to whom one is related by blood or, sometimes, by marriage. It emphasizes the connection through lineage.
Usage
- The word "kinsfolk" is a somewhat formal and traditional term. In modern, everyday English, words like "relatives," "family," or "kin" are more commonly used.
- It is typically used in a collective sense to refer to the group as a whole, not an individual member.
- It often appears in historical, literary, or genealogical contexts.
Examples
- After many years abroad, she returned to her hometown to visit her kinsfolk.
- The reunion was a joyful gathering of kinsfolk from all branches of the family tree.
- He felt a strong duty to help his kinsfolk in their time of need.
Advanced Usage
- "Kith and kin": This is a fixed, idiomatic phrase meaning "friends and family" or "acquaintances and relatives." "Kin" in this phrase is directly related to "kinsfolk."
- He invited all his kith and kin to the wedding celebration.
Variants and Related Words
- Kin (noun): A shorter, more modern synonym for "kinsfolk." It can be used interchangeably but is less formal.
- She is my next of kin.
- Kinship (noun): Refers to the state or quality of being related; family relationship.
- They felt a deep sense of kinship despite having just met.
- Kinsman / Kinswoman (noun, archaic/formal): Refers to an individual male or female relative.
- He was aided by a distant kinsman.
Synonyms
- Relatives
- Family
- Kin
- Relations
- Clan (implies a larger, sometimes tribal, family group)
Antonyms
- Strangers
- Non-relatives
- Outsiders
Noun
- people descended from a common ancestor
- his family has lived in Massachusetts since the Mayflower