second cousin

American  

noun

• second cousins
  plural

1. a child of a first cousin of one's parent.

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second cousin British  

noun

1. the child of a first cousin of either of one's parents

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second cousin Idioms  

1. Something that is related or similar but not quite the same, as in This beef stew is second cousin to boeuf bourguignon. This expression transfers the literal sense of second cousin —that is, the child of the first cousin of one's mother or father—a usage dating from the mid-1600s.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• second cousins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of second cousin

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

second cousin

You’ve seen it, I’ve seen it, your second cousin who gets too drunk at every family wedding has seen it.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

No one — not his children or your nieces or the next-door neighbor’s second cousin twice removed — has a right to that money.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 16, 2026

The genetic analysis identified her as my father’s first cousin once removed and my own second cousin, narrowing the search to my grandfather’s siblings and their children.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 5, 2025

Earlier this month, she hosted a carol service at Westminster Abbey alongside Lady Gabriella Windsor, the King's second cousin.

From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2024

Same day—Sunday, January 6,1935 I keep thinking about when my mom’s second cousin Mrs. McCraw came to visit.

From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko