cousin

¹

[kuhz-uhn]

noun

1. Also called full cousin. Also called first cousin. the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt.

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.

3. a kinsman or kinswoman; relative.

4. a person or thing related to another by similar natures, languages, geographical proximity, etc..

   Our Canadian cousins are a friendly people.

5. Slang.,  a gullible, innocent person who is easily duped or taken advantage of.

6. a term of address used by a sovereign in speaking, writing, or referring to another sovereign or a high-ranking noble.

Cousin

²

[koo-zan]

noun

1. Victor 1792–1867, French philosopher and educational reformer: founder of the method of eclecticism in French philosophy.

cousin

¹

/ ˈkʌzən /

noun

1. Also called: first cousin.  cousin-german.  full cousin. the child of one's aunt or uncle

2. 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

3. a member of a group related by race, ancestry, interests, etc

   our Australian cousins

4. a title used by a sovereign when addressing another sovereign or a nobleman

Cousin

²

/ kuzɛ̃ /

noun

1. Victor (viktɔr). 1792–1867, French philosopher and educational reformer

Other Word Forms

• cousinage noun
• cousinhood noun
• cousinship noun
• cousinly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cousin¹

1250–1300; Middle English cosin < Anglo-French co ( u ) sin, Old French cosin < Latin consōbrīnus cousin (properly, son of one's mother's sister), equivalent to con- con- + sōbrīnus second cousin (presumably originally “pertaining to the sister”) < *swesrīnos, equivalent to *swesr-, gradational variant of *swesōr (> soror sister ) + *-īnos -ine ¹; for -sr- > -br- December

Word History and Origins

Origin of cousin¹

C13: from Old French cosin, from Latin consōbrīnus cousin, from sōbrīnus cousin on the mother's side; related to soror sister

Idioms and Phrases

see country cousin; first cousin; kissing cousins; second cousin.

Example Sentences

His younger cousins wouldn’t be born until later.

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Mostly, they dote on the kids, and cousins reconnect.

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She said her brothers, aunties, cousins and both her grandfathers had taken part in the past.

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My aunts had to make sure I got my fair share because it wasn’t strange for my older cousins to eat everything, leaving 60-cent rice from the Korean store as my only option for dinner.

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Both of these belonged to his cousin, he said, who owned a mini-mart 15 miles away in Stoke.

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Related Words

• relative