Dictionary

kindness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈkaɪnd.nɪs/
• /ˈkaɪnd.nəs/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English kyndenesse, equivalent to kind + -ness.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The state of being kind.
   • Jamie's kindness is legendary, so much that people have taken advantage of her.
   • If attending to your childhood wounds and responding with kindness feels selfish, it is important to remember that compassion for oneself often makes people more compassionate to others, Lev said. 2025 April 28, Madeline Holcombe, “It might be time to ‘reparent’ yourself. Here’s how to get started”, in CNN:
2. (uncountable, usually) An instance of kind or charitable behaviour.
   • They are grateful for kindnesses that they may have received. 1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 8, page 232:
   • i'm going to turn a blind eye to this misdemeanour, out of the kindness of my heart.
   • How can I thank you for your many kindnesses?
   • Do me a kindness and leave.

Forms

Deriveds

milk of human kindness · nonkindness · diskindness · random act of kindness · kill with kindness · lovingkindness

Translations (126)

fro dolçor (being kind) · ro bunătate (being kind) · gv foayr (being kind) · iso uvbovbou (being kind) · enm benignite (being kind) · ka გულკეთილობა (being kind) · got 𐍃𐌴𐌻𐌴𐌹 (being kind) · ka სიკეთე (instance of charitable behavior) · ru доброжела́тельность (being kind) · ar إِحْسَان (being kind) · it piacere (instance of charitable behavior) · ml അനുകമ്പ (being kind) · ja 優しさ (being kind) · cmn 恩惠 (being kind) · cy caredigrwydd (being kind) · sh milosrdje (instance of charitable behavior) · da elskværdighed (being kind) · la venia (instance of charitable behavior) · it favore (instance of charitable behavior) · ml ദയവ് (instance of charitable behavior) · sh доброта (being kind) · pl przychylność (being kind) · es amabilidad (being kind) · gl bondade (being kind) · cs laskavost (being kind) · it cortesia (being kind) · enm benignite (instance of charitable behavior) · sh љубазност (being kind) · tr kibarlık (instance of charitable behavior) · sh доброта (instance of charitable behavior) · sh dobrota (being kind) · ru доброта́ (being kind) · mh jouj (being kind) · cmn 仁慈 (being kind) · rup bunãtati (being kind) · pl łaskawość (being kind) · mr दया (being kind) · pl benewolencja (being kind) · te దయ (being kind) · sh čovekoljublje (being kind) · sk láskavosť (being kind) · ro bunăvoință (being kind) · fi ystävällisyys (being kind) · enm kyndenesse (being kind) · mi tauwhirotanga (being kind) · toi luse (being kind) · ta அன்பு (being kind) · sh dobrota (instance of charitable behavior) · sh човекољубље (being kind) · it garbo (being kind) · ca bondat (instance of charitable behavior) · gl favor (instance of charitable behavior) · nl vriendelijkheid (instance of charitable behavior) · hu kedvesség (being kind) · it bontà (instance of charitable behavior) · sh milosrđe (being kind) · hi दया (being kind) · ca cortesia (being kind) · hi दयालुता (being kind) · pl miłe zachowanie (instance of charitable behavior) · cy caredigrwydd (instance of charitable behavior) · la caritas (being kind) · ro amabilitate (being kind) · da venlighed (being kind) · gl amabilidade (being kind) · fur dolçôr (being kind) · be дабрата́ (being kind) · el καλοσύνη (being kind) · fi palvelus (instance of charitable behavior) · sh милосрђе (instance of charitable behavior) · fr bonté (being kind) · vi lòng tốt (being kind) · tr incelik (instance of charitable behavior) · grc εὐμένεια (being kind) · ka სიკეთე (being kind) · enm kyndenesse (instance of charitable behavior) · sa दया (being kind) · da velvilje (being kind) · pt caridade (instance of charitable behavior) · eo afableco (being kind) · eo bonkoreco (being kind) · ml ഐന്തൽ (being kind) · sh ljubaznost (being kind) · ca bondat (being kind) · tr incelik (being kind) · fi kiltteys (being kind) · ca gentilesa (being kind) · pl uprzejmość (being kind) · es bondad (being kind) · da tjeneste (instance of charitable behavior) · cs laskavost (instance of charitable behavior) · ota منت (instance of charitable behavior) · de Liebenswürdigkeit (being kind) · ru доброта́ (instance of charitable behavior) · ga cineáltas (being kind) · da imødekommenhed (being kind) · da venlighed (instance of charitable behavior) · tl buti (being kind) · it gentilezza (being kind) · sa राधस् (instance of charitable behavior) · tr kibarlık (being kind) · uk доброта́ (being kind) · eo amindeco (being kind) · la bonitas (being kind) · hi दया (instance of charitable behavior) · it bontà (being kind) · pl dobroć (being kind) · ko 친절 (being kind) · tr naziklik (being kind) · ota مساعده (instance of charitable behavior) · fur bontât (being kind) · ru любе́зность (being kind) · te దయ (instance of charitable behavior) · nl aardigheid (instance of charitable behavior) · da godhed (being kind) · ja 親切 (being kind) · ml ദയ (being kind) · ga cineáltas (instance of charitable behavior) · kw kuvder (being kind) · el καλοσύνη (instance of charitable behavior) · zu umusa (being kind) · pt gentileza (being kind) · pl życzliwość (being kind) · ka გულკეთილობა (instance of charitable behavior) · it gentilezza (instance of charitable behavior) · sa कृपा (being kind)