close akin
Closely related by blood, or mighty similar.
Also called close kin.
Updated September 21, 2026
close akin pronunciation
/klohs uh-KIN/
Meaning
Close akin is how rural Southern and Appalachian folks map family trees without a chart. It means near kin: cousins, in-laws stacked deep, people who share a granny somewhere. Same phrase stretches to things that feel alike. Two dogs that act the same, two trucks that break the same way, two temperaments cut from one cloth. If somebody asks "are y'all kin?" the short answer might be "close akin."
How folks use it
- “Them boys are close akin. Their mamas are sisters.”
- “That temper of his is close akin to his daddy's.”
Origin and etymology
Akin comes from older English of kin, meaning related by blood. Southern and Appalachian speech kept the word lively in everyday family talk and stretched close akin to cover likeness as well as pedigree. Close kin is a near twin of the phrase.
Frequently asked questions
Does close akin only mean family?
Family is the main use. It can also mean two things are similar in nature, not just blood.