cousin
KUHZN
Cousin (noun) means the child of one's aunt or uncle. Example: “My cousin flew in from Toronto for the wedding.”
noun
1
The child of one's aunt or uncle.
"My cousin flew in from Toronto for the wedding."
"We spent every summer with our cousins at the lake house."
"My cousin and I were born only a week apart, so we grew up like twins."
2
More broadly, any distant relative who is not a direct ancestor or descendant.
"She traced her family tree and found third cousins she never knew about."
"At the family reunion I met a distant cousin who lives on the other side of the world."
"He is some sort of cousin of my grandmother, though nobody remembers exactly how."
How to use cousin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA relative — usually the child of your aunt or uncle, though the word can stretch to cover more distant family.
Common pairings
first cousin
second cousin
distant cousin
cousin once removed
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Word forms
- Plural
- cousins
- Third person singular
- cousins
- Past tense
- cousined
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
My _____ flew in from Toronto for the wedding.
Etymology
From Old French cosin, ultimately from Latin cōnsobrīnus, meaning a cousin on the mother's side — from con- ("together") plus sobrīnus ("maternal relative").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “cousin” mean?
The word “cousin” means the child of one's aunt or uncle. In plain terms, a relative — usually the child of your aunt or uncle, though the word can stretch to cover more distant family.
How do you pronounce “cousin”?
“Cousin” is pronounced KUHZN (/ˈkʌz(ə)n/ in IPA).
How do you use “cousin” in a sentence?
Here is “cousin” used in a sentence: “My cousin flew in from Toronto for the wedding.”
What part of speech is “cousin”?
“Cousin” is a noun.
Where does the word “cousin” come from?
The word “cousin” comes from Latin. From Old French cosin, ultimately from Latin cōnsobrīnus, meaning a cousin on the mother's side — from con- ("together") plus sobrīnus ("maternal relative").
Is “cousin” a common word?
“Cousin” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “cousin” have?
“Cousin” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the child of one's aunt or uncle.
What is the difference between a first cousin and a second cousin?
First cousins share a set of grandparents — they are the children of siblings. Second cousins are more distant: they share great-grandparents, being the children of two first cousins. Each further step back the shared ancestor sits adds a number, so third cousins share great-great-grandparents.
What does 'cousin once removed' mean?
'Removed' marks a difference in generation. Your first cousin once removed is your first cousin's child, or your parent's first cousin — one generation apart from you. 'Twice removed' means two generations apart. The word 'removed' describes the generational gap, while the number describes how far back the shared ancestor is.
How closely related are first cousins?
First cousins share roughly 12.5 percent of their DNA on average, because they descend from the same pair of grandparents. That makes them fairly close blood relatives — closer than second cousins but more distant than siblings, who share about half their DNA, or aunts and uncles.
Are cousins immediate or extended family?
Cousins are usually counted as extended family rather than immediate family. Immediate family typically means parents, siblings, and children — the closest household relations. Cousins, along with aunts, uncles, and grandparents, form the wider network of relatives around that core, even when the bond between them is very close.
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