kindred

/ˈkɪndɹɪd/

//ˈkɪndɹɪd// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"kindred" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“kindred” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,884 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#23,884
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Distant and close relatives, collectively; kin.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

kindred vs kindle
71% similar
kindred vs kinder
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for kindred
PropertyValue
Headwordkindred
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɪndɹɪd/
Letters7
Frequency rank#23,884
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “kindred” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). kindred lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for kindred is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɪndɹɪd/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,884 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for kindred, with forms such as "ikndred", "kidnred", and "kinddred". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "kindle", "kinder", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English kyndrede, from older kynrede (“kindred”), from Old English *cynrēd, *cynrǣden (“kindred, family, stock”), from cynn (“kind, kin, lineage”) + -rǣden (“condition, state”). Equivalent to kin + -red, see these. The -d- is epenthetic between … The correct English form is kindred, spelled K-I-N-D-R-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Distant and close relatives, collectively; kin.
  2. 2
    People of the same ethnic descent, not including speaker; brethren.
  3. 3
    A grouping of relatives.
  4. 4
    Blood relationship.
  5. 5
    Affinity, likeness.
  6. 6
    One who is kindred, literally or figuratively; a kin, kinsman.
  7. 7
    A household or group following the modern pagan faith of Heathenry or Ásatrú.

Etymology

From Middle English kyndrede, from older kynrede (“kindred”), from Old English *cynrēd, *cynrǣden (“kindred, family, stock”), from cynn (“kind, kin, lineage”) + -rǣden (“condition, state”). Equivalent to kin + -red, see these. The -d- is epenthetic between a nasal and a liquid (as e.g. in spindle).

Synonyms

brethrenkinship

This word in other languages

etnia(Español)tribu(Français)Stammesbrüder(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ikndred,kidnred,kinddred,kinderd,kindrde,kindredd,kindrred,kinndred,kinrded,kkindred,knidred

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of kindred - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ikndred2kidnred2kinddred1kinderd2kindrde2kindredd1kindrred1kinndred1
Edit distance from "kindred"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "kindred"?
"kindred" is spelled K-I-N-D-R-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɪndɹɪd/.
What does "kindred" mean?
As a noun, "kindred" means: Distant and close relatives, collectively; kin.
What words are commonly confused with "kindred"?
"kindred" is commonly confused with "kindle", "kinder". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "kindred"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "kindred" is /ˈkɪndɹɪd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "kindred"?
From Middle English kyndrede, from older kynrede (“kindred”), from Old English *cynrēd, *cynrǣden (“kindred, family, stock”), from cynn (“kind, kin, lineage”) + -rǣden (“condition, state”). Equivalent to kin + -red, see these. The -d- is epentheti... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “kindred”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is K-I-N-D-R-E-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɪndɹɪd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “kindle” - see the side-by-side comparison. kindred vs kindle
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list