Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “kinsman” come from?

Kinsman derives from Middle English kynnesman, a compound of kynne (kin) and man (man), literally meaning a male relative.

kinsman (English): A male relative

Definitions

  1. A male relative

Ancestry of “kinsman”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishkynnesman—

Words derived from “kinsman”

  • kinsmanship
  • kinsmanly
Every word from Middle English kynnesman →