cousin
Also called first cousin, full cousin . the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt.: See also second cousin, removed (def. 2).
one related by descent in a diverging line from a known common ancestor, as from one's grandparent or from one's father's or mother's sister or brother.
a kinsman or kinswoman; relative.
a person or thing related to another by similar natures, languages, geographical proximity, etc.: Our Canadian cousins are a friendly people.
Slang. a gullible, innocent person who is easily duped or taken advantage of.
a term of address used by a sovereign in speaking, writing, or referring to another sovereign or a high-ranking noble.
Origin of cousin
1Other words from cousin
- cous·in·age, cous·in·hood, cous·in·ship, noun
Words Nearby cousin
Other definitions for Cousin (2 of 2)
Vic·tor [veek-tawr], /vikˈtɔr/, 1792–1867, French philosopher and educational reformer: founder of the method of eclecticism in French philosophy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cousin in a sentence
The flares appear to be tiny cousins of the better known solar flares.
Close-up of the sun reveals ‘campfires’ | Lisa Grossman | August 28, 2020 | Science News For StudentsWeganool, a vegan cousin of wool that is primed to take off as the next big thing in sustainable fashion in Europe and beyond.
How a Wasteland Shrub Is Becoming the Next Big Thing in Fashion | Daniel Malloy | August 28, 2020 | OzySuppose Dax had a cousin, Max, who was 60% husky and 40% Pomeranian.
How to Design (or at Least Model) Mixed Dog Breeds | Pradeep Mutalik | July 31, 2020 | Quanta MagazineAlso like its basketball-playing cousins, hockey will have a bit of a convoluted format upon its return.
How The NHL’s New Format Changed The Stanley Cup Race | Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com) | July 29, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightIn addition to being an economist and teacher, Sally Sadoff also happens to be my cousin.
America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up (Ep. 391) | Steven D. Levitt | October 3, 2019 | Freakonomics
Mating with a cousin or brother is safer than risking life and limb to mate with an outsider.
Mongooses, Meerkats, and Ants, Oh My! Why Some Animals Keep Mating All in the Family | Helen Thompson | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“A mother has lost a son,” referring to his late cousin Akai.
Protesters Demand Justice For Gurley As Gap Grows Between Cops and NYC | M.L. Nestel | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe savvy forger with Pappy empties to fill might get his hands on some Old Weller and present it as its more illustrious cousin.
A few worries, to be sure, but not that cousin of depression and anxiety, dread.
Awaiting the Grand Jury, Dread in Ferguson and America | Gene Robinson | November 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe second-to-last time we met Zalwar Khan, he brought a man he introduced as his cousin.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley | Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman | November 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTcousin George's position is such a happy one, that conversation is to him a thing superfluous.
Physiology of The Opera | John H. Swaby (AKA "Scrici")From the moment that he touches the magical little hand, cousin George is eclipsed.
Physiology of The Opera | John H. Swaby (AKA "Scrici")As a matter of fact, it was a very distant cousin of hers who had died, a Mrs. Fanshawe Collingwood, who also lived in the town.
The Boarded-Up House | Augusta Huiell SeamanThe Professor thought very kindly of the dead cousin, whose money would provide for this great work.
Uncanny Tales | VariousNever had Tom seen his gay and careless cousin in such guise: he was restless, silent, intense and inarticulate.
The Wave | Algernon Blackwood
British Dictionary definitions for cousin (1 of 2)
/ (ˈkʌzən) /
Also called: first cousin, cousin-german, full cousin the child of one's aunt or uncle
a relative who has descended from one of one's common ancestors. A person's second cousin is the child of one of his parents' first cousins. A person's third cousin is the child of one of his parents' second cousins. A first cousin once removed (or loosely second cousin) is the child of one's first cousin
a member of a group related by race, ancestry, interests, etc: our Australian cousins
a title used by a sovereign when addressing another sovereign or a nobleman
Origin of cousin
1Derived forms of cousin
- cousinhood or cousinship, noun
- cousinly, adjective, adverb
British Dictionary definitions for Cousin (2 of 2)
/ (French kuzɛ̃) /
Victor (viktɔr). 1792–1867, French philosopher and educational reformer
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with cousin
see country cousin; first cousin; kissing cousins; second cousin.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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