Dictionary

kindly en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈkaɪn(d)li/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From Middle English kyndely, kyndeliche, from Old English cyndelīċ (“natural, kindly”); equivalent to kind + -ly.

Meanings

1. Having a kind personality; kind, warmhearted, sympathetic.
   • This was the first long train journey I ever took, and the details remain in my memory as sharply as if they had taken place last week. Hopping on the Circle Line to King's Cross, boarding the compartmentalised train, the kindly ticket inspectors, and every station where the Grimsby express stopped (in those days it didn't go through to Cleethorpes). 2021 July 28, Christian Wolmar, “Forgotten by the railways, but ripe for the exploring”, in RAIL, number 936, page 34:
   • The shade by which my life was crost, […] Has made me kindly with my kind 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto LXVI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 91:
   • A kindly old man sits on the park bench every afternoon feeding pigeons.
2. (dated) Favourable, gentle, pleasant, tidy, auspicious, beneficent.
   • His Brothers' wisdom or their love— / But calmly from the spot withdrew; / The like endeavours to renew, / should e'er a kindlier time ensue. 1815, William Wordsworth, “(please specify the page)”, in The White Doe of Rylstone; or The Fate of the Nortons. A Poem, London: […] [F]or Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], by James Ballantyne and Co., […], →OCLC:
   • Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom, / ⁠Lead Thou me on 1833, John Henry Newman, Lead, kindly Light:
   • Ye Heav'ns! from high the devvy nectar pour, / And in ſoft ſilence ſhed the kindly ſhovv'r! 1712 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Messiah. A Sacred Eclogue, in Imitation of Virgil’s Pollio.”, in The Works of Alexander Pope Esq. […], volume I, London: […] J[ohn] and P[aul] Knapton, H. Lintot, J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, and S. Draper, published 1751, →OCLC, page 38:
3. (archaic) Lawful.
4. (obsolete) Natural; inherent to the kind or race.
   • the kindly fruits of the earth 1549 March 7, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, […], London: […] Edowardi Whitchurche […], →OCLC:
   • An heard of Bulles, whom kindly rage doth sting, 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 11:
   • [W]hatſoever as the Sonne of God, He may doe; it is kindly, for Him, as the Sonne of man, to ſave the ſonnes of men. 1609 November 14 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), Lancelot Andrewes, “[Sermons of the Gun-pouder-treason, Preached vpon the Fift of November.] A Sermon Preached before the King’s Maiestie, at Whitehall, on the V. of November. A.D. MDCIX.”, in XCVI. Sermons […], London: […] George Miller, for Richard Badger, published 1629, →OCLC, page 918:

Forms

Antonyms

brutal · cruel · inhumane · mean · stern · insensate · savage · barbarous · cold-blooded · thick-skinned · hardhearted · inhuman · virulent · bestial · brutish · spiteful · hateful · malevolent · malicious

Deriveds

sea-kindly · unkindly · kindly tenant · kindlily · kindliness · overkindly · seakindly

Synonyms

warmhearted · benignant · lenient · gentle · cordial · patient · good-tempered · gracious · mild · benign · unselfish · generous · friendly · kind · considerate · tenderhearted · good-hearted · softhearted · humanitarian · compassionate · forbearing · altruistic · noble · attentive · tolerant · forgiving · merciful · nice · openhearted · affable · thoughtful · brotherly · good · unsparing · soft · greathearted · kindhearted · understanding · dear · pitying · sympathetic · clement · magnanimous · good-natured · pleasant · charitable · philanthropic · humane · tender · openhearted

Translations (24)

fi ystävällinen (having a kind personality) · grc εὐμενής (having a kind personality) · ru до́брый (having a kind personality) · eo aminda (having a kind personality) · fi hyväntahtoinen (having a kind personality) · bg добър (having a kind personality) · es agradable (having a kind personality) · ga duiniúil (natural) · pt bondoso (having a kind personality) · th ใจดี (having a kind personality) · eo amema (having a kind personality) · pt amável (having a kind personality) · fi mukava (having a kind personality) · ka გულკეთილი (having a kind personality) · cs dobrosrdečný (having a kind personality) · cs laskavý (having a kind personality) · eo afabla (having a kind personality) · es bondadoso (having a kind personality) · ka კეთილი (having a kind personality) · sco guidwilly (having a kind personality) · ka კეთილმოსურნე (having a kind personality) · bg благ (having a kind personality) · pt gentil (having a kind personality) · nl vriendelijk (having a kind personality)

kindly en · ADV · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈkaɪn(d)li/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From Middle English kyndely, kyndly, kyndeliche, from Old English ġecyndelīċe, equivalent to kind + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a kind manner, out of kindness.
   • Because I could not stop for Death, / He kindly stopped for me; / The carriage held but just ourselves / And Immortality. a. 1887 (date written), Emily Dickinson, “[Book IV.—Time and Eternity] The Chariot”, in Mabel Loomis Todd and T[homas] W[entworth] Higginson, editors, Poems, First Series, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1890, →OCLC, page 138:
   • She was both beautiful and young to their eyes. Her hair was a rich red in color and fell in flowing ringlets over her shoulders. Her dress was pure white but her eyes were blue, and they looked kindly upon the little girl. 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 23, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:
   • He kindly offered to take us to the station in his car.
2. In a favourable way.
   • Aguero was quick to block Hennessey's attempted clearance and the ball bounced kindly to Dzeko, who had the simplest of tasks to put City ahead. 2011 October 29, Neil Johnston, “Norwich 3 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC Sport:
3. Used to make a polite request: please.
   • Kindly refrain from walking on the grass.
   • May we request that patrons kindly take their seats.
   • Please kindly bring your hardcopy of the Constitution to every class. 2024, John L. Badalamenti, Ashley C. Grabowski, “ADVANCED CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPRETATION: ORIGINALISM AND ITS FOES”, in University of Florida, archived from the original on 23 Jun 2025, page 2:
   • Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me / Who owns that horse outside the door where my old horse should be? a. 1770s, Traditional, “Seven Drunken Nights ”, performed by The Dubliners:
4. (US) With kind acceptance; used with take.
   • I don't take kindly to threats.
   • Aunt Daisy didn't take it kindly when we forgot her anniversary.
5. (dialectal) Kind of, somewhat.
6. (archaic) Readily.
7. (obsolete) Naturally.

Forms

Deriveds

take kindly

Synonyms

thoughtfully (in a kind manner) · please (used to make polite requests) · be so kind as to (used to make polite requests)

Translations (53)

cs mile (in a kind manner) · bg приветливо (in a kind manner) · fi hyväntahtoisesti (in a kind manner) · de gefälligst (used to make polite requests) · tr lütfen (used to make polite requests) · da venligst (used to make polite requests) · cs laskavě (used to make polite requests) · fr gentillement (in a kind manner) · enm kyndely (in a kind manner) · wa s' i vs plait (used to make polite requests) · wa binamêymint (in a kind manner) · enm esiliche (in a kind manner) · pt gentilmente (in a kind manner) · hu legyen szíves (used to make polite requests) · bg моля (used to make polite requests) · hu szíveskedjenek (used to make polite requests) · it gentilmente (in a kind manner) · ru будьте любезны (used to make polite requests) · de bitte (used to make polite requests) · fi ystävällisesti (in a kind manner) · sa कृपया (in a kind manner) · eo bonvole (used to make polite requests) · hu kérem (used to make polite requests) · wa amiståvmint (in a kind manner) · da venlig (in a kind manner) · eo aminde (in a kind manner) · hu kérjük (used to make polite requests) · fr veuillez (used to make polite requests) · fr aimablement (in a kind manner) · es bondadosamente (in a kind manner) · th กรุณา (used to make polite requests) · de liebenswürdig (in a kind manner) · fr gentiment (in a kind manner) · ru извольте (used to make polite requests) · ru будьте добры (used to make polite requests) · cs vlídně (in a kind manner) · ca amablement (in a kind manner) · tr nazikçe (in a kind manner) · hu legyenek kedvesek (used to make polite requests) · bg любезно (in a kind manner) · nl beminnelijk (in a kind manner) · eo afable (in a kind manner) · it per piacere (used to make polite requests) · hu legyen kedves (used to make polite requests) · de freundlicherweise (in a kind manner) · cs srdečně (in a kind manner) · ru добродушно (in a kind manner) · cs laskavě (in a kind manner) · hu legyenek szívesek (used to make polite requests) · nl vriendelijk (in a kind manner) · hu szíveskedjék (used to make polite requests) · it volete (used to make polite requests) · ru благожелательно (in a kind manner)