Cousin

• POS: Noun, Adverb
• HYPHEN: cous=in

CIDE DICTIONARY

Cousin, n. [F. cousin, LL. cosinus, cusinus, contr. from L. consobrinus the child of a mother's sister, cousin; con- + sobrinus a cousin by the mother's side, a form derived fr. soror (for sosor) sister. See Sister, and cf. Cozen, Coz.].

•  One collaterally related more remotely than a brother or sister; especially, the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt.  [1913 Webster]

  " The children of brothers and sisters are usually denominated first cousins, or cousins-german. In the second generation, they are called second cousins. See Cater-cousin, and Quater-cousin."  [1913 Webster]

  "Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son,
  A cousin-german to great Priam's seed."  [1913 Webster]
•  A title formerly given by a king to a nobleman, particularly to those of the council. In English writs, etc., issued by the crown, it signifies any earl.  [1913 Webster]

  "My noble lords and cousins, all, good morrow."  [1913 Webster]

Cousin, n. 

 Allied; akin.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Cousin, n.
1 (also first cousin, cousin-german) the child of one's uncle or aunt.
2 (usu. in pl.) applied to the people of kindred races or nations (our American cousins).
3 hist. a title formerly used by a sovereign in addressing another sovereign or a noble of his or her own country.

Idiom

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

Derivative

cousinhood n. cousinly adj. cousinship n.

Etymology

ME f. OF cosin, cusin, f. L consobrinus mother's sister's child

THESAURUS

Cousin

aunt, auntie, blood brother, brethren, brother, bub, bubba, bud, buddy, country cousin, cousin once removed, cousin twice removed, daughter, father, first cousin, foster brother, frater, grandnephew, grandniece, granduncle, great-aunt, great-uncle, half brother, kid brother, mother, nephew, niece, nuncle, nunks, nunky, second cousin, sis, sissy, sister, sister-german, sistern, son, stepbrother, stepsister, unc, uncle, uncs, uterine brother

ROGET THESAURUS

Cousin

Consanguinity

N consanguinity, relationship, kindred, blood, parentage, filiation, affiliation, lineage, agnation, connection, alliance, family connection, family tie, ties of blood, nepotism, kinsman, kinfolk, kith and kin, relation, relative, connection, sibling, sib, next of kin, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, cousin, cousin- german, first cousin, second cousin, cousin once removed, cousin twice removed, ear relation, distant relation, brother, sister, one's own flesh and blood, family, fraternity, brotherhood, sisterhood, cousinhood, race, stock, generation, sept, stirps, side, strain, breed, clan, tribe, nation, related, akin, consanguineous, of the blood, family, allied, collateral, cognate, agnate, connate, kindred, affiliated, fraternal, intimately related, nearly related, closely related, remotely related, distantly related, allied, german.