Dictionary kindType or category

noun

kind

A category defined by shared basic characteristics.

This store sells several kinds of fresh local apples.

Etymology

kindOld Englishnature; race; kind

The inherited word concerns nature or shared descent. Kind developed into a category whose members share the same basic character.

More examples

What kind of music do you like?
A canoe is a kind of boat.
These two kinds of paint need different brushes.

Forms

kind · kinds

Similar words

type: Often suggests a more clearly defined set of shared features.
class: Often marks a formal grouping within an organized system.