second cousin

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of second cousin

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

In 1937 Jessica eloped to Europe with her second cousin Esmond Romilly—their ill-starred plan was to head to Spain to report on the civil war there.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 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

Patrick Casement, the great grandson of Roger's second cousin, still lives in the family home and has kept records of letters written by Roger during his time in Africa.

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2024

According to one story, at Howe’s headquarters she spotted a British officer who was a second cousin from Ireland.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen