Lacking kindness or compassion; treating others harshly or without consideration for their feelings.
From Old English 'un-' (not) + 'kind' (naturally inclined, of noble birth). Kind originally meant 'natural' or 'well-born,' and evolved to mean 'gentle' and 'compassionate.'
In Old English, 'kind' literally meant 'of the same kin' or family—unkind meant acting like a stranger to someone. Language reveals that kindness was once understood as familial obligation.
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