cousin

noun

cous·​in ˈkə-zən 

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

ˈkə-zən-ˌhu̇d 

noun

cousinly adjective

cousinship

ˈkə-zən-ˌship 

noun

Synonyms

• relative
• relation
• family
• kin
• kinsman

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

Her cousin Bryce, a 9-year-old from Daly City, begged to differ. —Andrew Zeng, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025

Minerva Parker was consequently raised alongside her sister and cousins by her mother, aunt, and maternal grandfather. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 12 Aug. 2025

The couple attended his cousin Tanner Corum’s nuptials at the RiverView Family Farm in Knoxville, Tennessee. —Lisa France, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025

When and Where He Was Last Seen Pelletier was last seen on August 1 while on a family vacation in Englewood, Florida, before leaving around 1:30 a.m. to travel with his cousins toward Brevard County to visit more family, according to the CCSO. —Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025

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

Phrases Containing cousin

• cater-cousin
• cousin-german
• first cousin
• kissing cousin
• second cousin

Rhymes for cousin

• dozen

Kids Definition

cousin

noun

cous·​in ˈkəz-ᵊn 

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 

Victor 1792–1867 French philosopher