släkts

Släkts is a grammatical form in Swedish. It is the genitive singular of the noun släkt, meaning kin, family, or lineage. The form signals possession or relation to a kin group, and it appears in older or more formal texts as a way to express "of the kin" or "belonging to the kin."

Etymology and usage context. Släkt originates from Old Swedish and is cognate with Danish slægt and Norwegian slekt, reflecting common Germanic roots for family and lineage. The genitive suffix -s is a standard inflectional ending in Swedish, producing släkts as the possessive form. Today, however, most modern Swedish writers prefer other constructions such as släktens (the kin’s) or phrasing like din släkt (your kin) rather than using släkts directly.

Contemporary relevance. In contemporary standard Swedish, släkts is relatively rare and is more commonly found in archaic, literary, or legal contexts, as well as in certain genealogical or historical writings. When used, it tends to occur before another noun to express a possessive relationship, although many readers would prefer the more common forms släktens or a rephrased construction to avoid archaism.

Related concepts. The root släkt is also the basis for related terms such as släktskap (kinship), släktband (family ties), and släktträd (family tree). These terms reflect the social and genealogical dimensions of kin groups and are widely used in anthropology, history, and genealogy.

Overall, släkts is a historical or formal genitive form of släkt, representing ownership or relation to a family, but it is not the predominant way to express possession in modern Swedish.