noun
Common
cousins
KUHZNS
Cousins (noun) means plural of cousin: the children of one's aunts and uncles, or more broadly, extended family members. Example: “My cousins live in Scotland, so we only meet at Christmas.”
noun
1
Plural of cousin: the children of one's aunts and uncles, or more broadly, extended family members.
"My cousins live in Scotland, so we only meet at Christmas."
"Her cousins taught her to swim during the summer holidays."
"All of my cousins came to the family reunion."
How to use cousins
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMore than one cousin — see the entry for "cousin."
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Word forms
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
My _____ live in Scotland, so we only meet at Christmas.
Etymology
From cousin + -s (suffix forming pluralia tantum, regular plurals of nouns, and the third-person singular indicative present tense forms of verbs). The plural noun noun 1 sense 1 (“American or British intelligence services”) was popularized in the works of the English author John le Carré (David John Moore Cornwell; 1930–2020).
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “cousins” mean?
The word “cousins” means plural of cousin: the children of one's aunts and uncles, or more broadly, extended family members. In plain terms, more than one cousin — see the entry for "cousin.".
How do you pronounce “cousins”?
“Cousins” is pronounced KUHZNS (/ˈkʌz(ə)ns/ in IPA).
How do you use “cousins” in a sentence?
Here is “cousins” used in a sentence: “All of my cousins came to the family reunion.”
What part of speech is “cousins”?
“Cousins” is a noun.
Is “cousins” a common word?
“Cousins” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between a first cousin and a second cousin?
First cousins share the same grandparents, being the children of siblings. Second cousins are more distant: they share the same great-grandparents, meaning their parents are first cousins to each other.
What is the difference between cousins and siblings?
Siblings share the same parents, making them brothers and sisters. Cousins are one step further out in the family tree, being the children of your aunts and uncles rather than of your own parents.
Are cousins considered immediate or extended family?
Cousins are part of your extended family rather than your immediate family. Immediate family usually means parents, siblings, and children, while cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents make up the wider extended family.
