kind
- Gentle, caring, and considerate toward others.
- As a noun, a category or type of thing (e.g., 'a kind of bird').
In a sentence
- It was kind of him to offer his seat to the elderly woman on the train.
- She had a kind heart and always found time to help those around her.
Usage note. When 'kind' is used as a noun (as in 'a kind of'), avoid the redundant phrase 'these kind of things'; use 'this kind of thing' (singular) or 'these kinds of things' (plural) instead.
Where it comes from
Middle English kind — “benevolent, considerate” · entered English 13th c.
From Old English 'gecynde,' meaning 'natural, native, innate,' derived from 'cynd' or 'gecynd,' meaning 'nature, origin, race, or kind.' The Proto-Germanic root is '*kundiz,' related to 'kin.' The sense of 'benevolent or friendly' developed in the 13th–14th centuries, evolving from the idea that showing affection to one's own kin was natural behavior.