second cousin

American  

noun

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

---

second cousin British  

noun

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

---

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of second cousin

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

It turns out the city’s director of parks, Jason Kronsberg, is my second cousin, whom I arranged to meet for the first time at Waterfront Park.

From The Wall Street Journal

Equitable and equal are second cousins, twice removed.

From MarketWatch

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

In her essay, Schlossberg describes her alarm at watching her second cousin be approved to the post as she was battling her illness.

From BBC

I see my great-aunts fanning themselves and my second cousins chugging water.

From Literature