cousin

noun

cous·​in ˈkə-zən How to pronounce cousin (audio)
1
a
: a child of one's uncle or aunt
b
: a relative descended from one's grandparent or more remote ancestor by two or more steps and in a different line
c
: kinsman, relative
a distant cousin
2
: one associated with or related to another : counterpart
Rural children deserve as good an education as their city cousins get.Benjamin Fine
3
used as a title by a sovereign in addressing a nobleman
4
: a member of a group regarded as ethnically or culturally related
our English cousins
cousinhood noun
cousinly adjective
cousinship noun

Examples of cousin in a Sentence

Everyone came to the wedding, including a distant cousin no one had heard from in years. The cricket is a cousin of the grasshopper. hurricanes and their cousins, typhoons
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her cousin Derek Daigneault, 29, of Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for her murder after an investigation that spanned two states, the DA's office said. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024 The pasta maker, in full sight of the dining room, is a cousin of the family of owners. Ann Abel, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 His cousin, Benji, is a free-spirit stoner who reacts to everything like a child would, for better and for worse. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024 His cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, would later serve as the nation's 32nd president, ranks No. 11 on 24/7 Wall Street's list of wealthiest presidents. 6. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cousin 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cosin, from Anglo-French cusin, cosin, from Latin consobrinus, from com- + sobrinus second cousin, from soror sister — more at sister

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cousin was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cousin

Cite this Entry

“Cousin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cousin. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

cousin

noun
cous·​in ˈkəz-ᵊn How to pronounce cousin (audio)
1
a
: a child of one's uncle or aunt
b
: a relative descended from a common ancestor
2
: a member of a group regarded as ethnically or culturally related
our English cousins

Biographical Definition

Cousin

biographical name

Cou·​sin kü-ˈzaⁿ How to pronounce Cousin (audio)
Victor 1792–1867 French philosopher

More from Merriam-Webster on cousin

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