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 of cousin

• 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

The suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, shot and killed seven of his own kids; the eighth child was their cousin. —Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

The committee launched a parallel investigation into whether Cawthorn was engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, his distant cousin, after explicit videos and photographs circulated of Cawthorn. —Mary Ramsey april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026

Shamar Elkins, 31, who served in the Louisiana Army National Guard, visited the local Veterans Affairs hospital for a mental health evaluation, stayed there for a week and a half and was released, said Crystal Brown-Page, a cousin of Elkins's brother-in-law, Troy Brown. —Arkansas Online, 21 Apr. 2026

Thrust into an unexpected role as protector of his younger cousins, Jordan and his crew are pulled into a mythic ocean realm, setting sail aboard a legendary vessel known as the Sun Chaser. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026

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