next of kin: Meaning and Definition of

next' of kin'

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a person's nearest relative or relatives: The newspaper did not publish the names of casualties until the next of kin had been notified.
  2. the nearest relative or relatives who share in the estate of a person who dies intestate.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.