kind

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
kind1

▶noun

• 1 a class or type of people or things having similar characteristics.

  ■ character or nature: the trials were different in kind from any that preceded them.

• 2 each of the elements (bread and wine) of the Eucharist.

– phrases
in kind

• 1 in the same way.

• 2 (of payment) in goods or services as opposed to money.

kind of informal rather.
nothing of the kind not at all like the thing in question.

■ expressing emphatic denial: he did nothing of the kind.

of its kind within the limitations of its class.
of a kind hardly or only partly deserving the name: there is tribute, of a kind, in such popularity.
one of a kind unique.
two (or three, four, etc.) of a kind

• 1 the same or very similar.

• 2 (of cards) having the same face value but of a different suit.

– origin OE cynd(e), gecynd(e), of Gmc origin; rel. to kin.

usage: The plural of kind often causes difficulty. With this or that, speaking of one kind, use a singular construction: that kind of fabric doesn't need ironing. With these or those, speaking of more than one kind, use a plural construction: these kinds of changes were observed in several species. The use of these kind (i.e. with kind in the singular), as in these kind of questions are not relevant, is ungrammatical and should be avoided.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
kind2

▶adjective

• 1 (often kind to) friendly, considerate, and generous.

  ■ (of a product) not harmful.

• 2 archaic loving; affectionate.

– origin OE gecynde ‘natural, native’, in ME ‘well born or well bred’, whence ‘courteous, gentle’.