next of kin
Americannoun
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a person's nearest relative or relatives.
The newspaper did not publish the names of casualties until the next of kin had been notified.
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Law. the nearest relative or relatives who share in the estate of a person who dies intestate.
noun
Etymology
Origin of next of kin
First recorded in 1760–70
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Remains can be returned to next of kin, as ashes are following cremation.
From BBC
A spokesperson said the victim's next of kin was being supported by family liaison officers.
From BBC
The names of the those who died were being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
From Los Angeles Times
Formal identification of the man who died has not yet taken place and the police said efforts were ongoing to trace his next of kin.
From BBC
But while she was delighted when the opt-out system was introduced, she didn't realise the "fatal flaw" of next of kin being able to rescind their loved one's wishes.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
