cousin
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: kŭzn
ipa: /ˈkʌzn̩/
ipa: /ˈkʌz(ə)n/
ipa: /ˈkʌzɪn/
note: US, weak vowel merger
ipa: [ˈkʰɐz.n̩]
homophone: cozen (weak vowel merger)
note: Indic
ipa: /kəˈzɪn/
rhymes: -ʌzən
Forms: form: cousins
Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English cosin, cosine, cosyn (“blood relative, kinsman or kinswoman; any relative; nephew or niece; first cousin; grandson or granddaughter; descendant; godchild or godparent, or a relative of a godchild or godparent; (figurative) closely related or similar thing”) [and other forms], and then:
* from Anglo-Norman cosen, cosin [and other forms], Middle French cosin, and Old French cosin (“collateral male relative more distant than one’s brother; form of address used by a monarch to male monarchs or nobles”) [and other forms] (modern French cousin); and
* from Anglo-Norman cosine, Middle French cosine, and Old French cosine (“collateral female relative more distant than one’s sister; form of address used by a monarch to female monarchs or nobles”) [and other forms] (modern French cousine),
from Latin cōnsobrīnus (“maternal cousin; first cousin; relation”) (possibly through Vulgar Latin *cōsuīnus, from *cōsobīnus), from con- (prefix denoting a bringing together of several objects) + sobrīnus (“maternal cousin; sister’s son; any nephew”) (from a noun use of Proto-Italic *swezrīnos (“of or belonging to a sister”, adjective) (with the first syllable influenced by Latin soror (“sister”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swésōr (“sister”), possibly from *swé (“self”) + *h₁ésh₂r̥ (“blood”) (that is, a woman of one’s own blood) or *-sōr (feminine suffix)).
The verb is derived from the noun.
Senses: examples: text: Salute Andronicus⸝ and Junia my coſyns⸝ which were preſoners with me alſo⸝ which are wele taken amonge the apoſtles⸝ and were in Chriſt before me.
ref: 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, The Epistle off the Apostle Paul to the Romanes xvj:[7], folio ccxvj, verso:
text: Hovv novv brother, vvhere is my coſen your ſonne, hath he prouided this muſique?
ref: 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], signature B2, recto:
text: Couſin Harlovve, ſaid my aunt Hervey, allovv me to ſay, That my couſin Clary's prudence may be confided in.
ref: 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter VI. Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume I, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], →OCLC, page 34:
text: The house and park and a small estate around it were entailed on a distant cousin, and could not be alienated; […]
ref: 1826, Mary Russell Mitford, “The Old House at Aberleigh”, in Our Village: Sketches of Rural Character and Scenery, volume II, London: Geo[rge] B[yrom] Whittaker, […], →OCLC, page 244:
glosses: Chiefly with a qualifying word: Any relation (especially a distant one) who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of a person's extended family; a kinsman or kinswoman.
examples: text: […] I never knevv the marriage of ſecond Coſens forbidden, but by them vvho at the ſame time forbad the marriage of the firſt: […] And vve find that Iſaac married his ſecond Coſen, and that vvas more for it then ever could be ſaid againſt it.
ref: 1660, Jeremy Taylor, “Rule 3. The Judicial Law of Moses is Annul'd, or Abrogated, and Retains No Obliging Power either in Whole or in Part over any Christian Prince, Commonwealth, or Person.”, in Ductor Dubitantium, or the Rule of Conscience in All Her General Measures; […], volume I, London: […] James Flesher, for Richard Royston […], →OCLC, book II (Of the Rule of Conscience. […]), paragraph 89, page 318:
glosses: Chiefly with a qualifying word: Any relation (especially a distant one) who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of a person's extended family; a kinsman or kinswoman.
Preceded by an ordinal number, as first, second, third, etc.: a person descended from a common ancestor by the same number of generations as another person.
examples: text: Although we were cousins, we grew up like sisters.
text: Cooſen Aumarle. / Hovv far brought you high Hereford on his vvay? / […] / VVhat ſaid our couſin vvhen you parted vvith him?
ref: 1595 December 9 (first known performance), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedie of King Richard the Second. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Simmes for Androw Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], signatures C2, recto – C2, verso:
text: [O]thers vvho are allied to us at a great diſtance, as the Children of Uncles, or of Coſens, or their Children or ſuch like, reſemble thoſe parts vvhich may be cut off vvithout pain, as Hair, Nailes, and the like.
ref: 1659–1660, Thomas Stanley, “Chap[ter] III An Explication of the Pythagorick Symbolls. By Jamblichus.”, in The History of Philosophy, the Third and Last Volume, […], volume III, London: […] Humphrey Moseley, and Thomas Dring, […], →OCLC, 4th part (Containing the Sceptick Sect), page 120:
text: Despite being related by blood and commonly in the same generation, cousins can end up with completely different upbringings, class backgrounds, values, and interests. And yet, they share something rare and invaluable: They know what it’s like to be part of the same particular family.
ref: 2023 December 19, Faith Hill, “The Great Cousin Decline”, in The Atlantic:
glosses: Chiefly with a qualifying word: Any relation (especially a distant one) who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of a person's extended family; a kinsman or kinswoman.
When used without a qualifying word: the child of a person's parent's brother (that is, an uncle) or sister (an aunt); a cousin-german, a first cousin.
examples: text: [H]e had received such good accounts from the Upper Nez Percés of their cousins, the Lower Nez Percés, that he had become desirous of knowing them as friends and brothers.
ref: 1837, Washington Irving, chapter VII, in The Rocky Mountains: Or, Scenes, Incidents, and Adventures in the Far West; […], volume II, Philadelphia, Pa.: [Henry Charles] Carey, [Isaac] Lea, & Blanchard, →OCLC, page 75:
text: Gusts of letters blow in from all corners of the British Isles. These are presently reinforced by Canada in full blast. A few weeks later the Anglo-Indians weigh in. In due course we have the help of our Australian cousins.
ref: 1916 June, Max Beerbohm, “A. V. Laider”, in Seven Men, London: William Heinemann, published 1919, →OCLC, page 147:
glosses: A person of an ethnicity or nationality regarded as closely related to someone of another ethnicity or nationality.
examples: text: I aſſure you, my dirty Couſin! thof his Skin be ſo vvhite, and to be ſure, it is the moſt vvhiteſt that ever vvas ſeen, I am a Chriſtian as vvell as he, and no-body can ſay that I am baſe born, […]
ref: 1749, Henry Fielding, “The Arrival of a Surgeon. His Operations, and a Long Dialogue between Sophia and Her Maid.”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book IV, page 103:
text: Marry quep, my cousin the weaver! And why the cucking-stool, I pray?—because my young lady is comely, and the young squire is a man of mettle, reverence to his beard that is yet to come?
ref: 1825 June 22, [Walter Scott], chapter IX, in Tales of the Crusaders. […], volume I (The Betrothed), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 174:
glosses: Used as a term of address for someone whom one is close to; also, (preceding a first name, sometimes capitalized as Cousin) a title for such a person.
examples: text: My noble L[ords] and Coſens all, good morrovv, / I haue beene long a ſleeper, but I hope / My abſence doth neglect no great deſignes, / VVhich by my preſence might haue been concluded.
ref: c. 1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], signature G, verso:
text: Therefore vve meruaile much our Coſin France / VVould in ſo iuſt a buſineſſe, ſhut his boſome / Againſt our borrovving prayers.
ref: c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 241, column 1:
text: In all vvrits, and commiſſions, and other formal inſtruments, the king, vvhen he mentions any peer of the degree of an earl, alvvays ſtiles him "truſty and vvell beloved couſin:" an appellation as antient as the reign of Henry IV; vvho being either by his vvife, his mother, or his ſiſters, actually related or allied to every earl in the kingdom, artfully and conſtantly acknovvledged that connexion in all his letters and other public acts; from vvhence the uſage has deſcended to his ſucceſſors, though the reaſon has long ago failed.
ref: 1765, William Blackstone, “Of the Civil State”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book I (Of the Rights of Persons), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 386:
glosses: Used by a monarch to address another monarch, or a noble; specifically (British) in commissions and writs by the Crown: used in this way to address a viscount or another peer of higher rank.
examples: text: Her dolour ſoone ſhe ceaſt, and on her dight / Her Helmet, to her Courſer mounting light: / Her former ſorrovv into ſuddein vvrath, / Both cooſen paſſions of diſtroubled ſpright, / Conuerting, forth ſhe beates the duſty path; / Loue and deſpight attonce her courage kindled hath.
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 12, page 447:
text: The euill habit of the body, is next coſin to the dropſie, […]
ref: 1607, Conradus Gesnerus [i.e., Conrad Gessner]; Edward Topsell, “Of the Horsse”, in The Historie of Foure-footed Beastes. […], London: […] William Iaggard, →OCLC, page 385:
text: [T]he friends that in one Couch did ſleep, / Each others blade in eithers breſt do ſteep: / And all the Camp vvith head-les dead is ſovven, / Cut-off by Cozen-ſvvords, kill'd by their ovvne.
ref: 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His Second Weeke, […]. Abraham. […].] The Captaines. The IIII. Part of the III. Day of the II. Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 499:
text: Jerry Rawlings has pissed off not only the Company (the CIA) but its cousin (the Mossad) in the Middle East.
ref: 1994, Joel Bainerman, “The Dark Side of the Israeli–American Relationship”, in Inside the Covert Operations of the CIA & Israel’s Mossad, New York, N.Y.: S.P.I. Books, →ISBN, page 18:
text: Partnering, along with its less irritating cousin "partnership", crops up all over the place, being equally useful to the lazy jargoneer and the lazy policy-maker. It has been said that there is no noun which cannot be verbed; in the same way, there is now nothing, concrete or abstract, which cannot be partnered.
ref: 2003 November 21, Tim Homfray, “What do they mean …”, in Times Educational Supplement, London: TSL Education, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 11 Nov 2023:
text: NASA has discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting around a star, which a NASA researcher called a "bigger, older cousin to Earth."
ref: 2015 July 23, Tessa Berenson, “NASA Discovers New Earth-like Planet”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 20 Mar 2023:
glosses: Something kindred or related to something else; a relative.
examples: text: Viola Svvagger vvorſe then a Lieutenant among freſhvvater ſouldiers, call me your loue, your ingle, your coſen, or ſo; but ſiſter at no hand. / Fuſt[igo]. No, no, it ſhall be cozen, or rather cuz that's the gulling vvord betvveene the Cittizens vviues and their old dames, that man em to the garden; […] [W]hy ſiſter do you thinke I'le cunny-catch you, vvhen you are my cozen?
ref: 1604 (date written), Tho[mas] Dekker, [Thomas Middleton], The Honest Whore. […] (4th quarto), London: […] Nicholas Okes for Robert Basse, […], published 1616, →OCLC, Act I, signatures B, verso – B2, recto:
qualifier: cant
glosses: A female sexual partner who is not a person's wife; specifically, a prostitute.
examples: text: [I]f a plaine fellow well and cleanely apparelled, either in home-ſpun ruſſet or freeze (as the ſeaſon requires) with a five pouch at his girdle, happen to appeare in his ruſticall likenes: there is a Cozen ſaies one, At which word out flies the Taker, and thus giues the onſet vpon my olde Pennyfather.
ref: 1608, [Thomas Dekker], “Of Barnards Law”, in The Belman of London. […], London: […] [Edward Allde and Nicholas Okes] for Nathaniel Butter, →OCLC, signature F, verso:
synonyms: word: chump
word: chumpion
word: cousin
word: cull
word: cully
word: dupe
word: dotterel
word: easy mark
word: fall guy
word: fish
word: gudgeon
word: gull
word: juggins
word: live one
word: mark
word: mug
word: muggins
word: pigeon
word: rube
word: sap
word: saphead
word: schlemiel
word: sheep
word: simp
word: Simple Simon
word: soft touch
word: steamer
word: stiff
word: stooge
word: sucker
qualifier: cant
glosses: A person who is swindled; a dupe.
examples: text: Those whom Venus is said to rule, […] Wenchers, Leachers, Shakers, Smockers, Cousins, Cullies, Stallions and Bellibumpers; […]
ref: 1653, Francis Rabelais [i.e., François Rabelais], translated by [Thomas Urquhart, Peter Anthony Motteux], “Of the Disposition of the People this Year”, in The Works of Francis Rabelais, Doctor in Physick: Containing Five Books of the Lives, Heroick Deeds, and Sayings of Gargantua, and His Sonne Pantagruel. […], London: […] [Thomas Ratcliffe and Edward Mottershead] for Richard Baddeley, […], →OCLC; republished in volume II, London: […] Navarre Society […], [1948], →OCLC, 5th book, page 430:
glosses: A person who womanizes; a seducer, a womanizer.
Hyponyms: sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin-aunt
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin-brother
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin brother
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousiness
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousinette
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin-german
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin german
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin-in-law
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin-sister
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin sister
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cousin-uncle
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cross-cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: cross cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: double cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: double first cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: fifth cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: first cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: first cousin once removed
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: first cousin thrice removed
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: first cousin twice removed
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: fourth cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: full cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: half-cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: half cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: half-first cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: kissing cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: maternal cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: neve
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: orthocousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: parallel cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: paternal cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: second cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: second cousin once removed
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: single-first cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: sixth cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: step-cousin
sense: Terms which are hyponyms of sense 1
word: third cousin
Derived terms: word: autistics and cousins
word: cater-cousin
word: country cousin
word: cous
word: coz
word: cuz
word: cousinal
word: cousincest
word: cousinfucker
word: cousinfucking
word: cousinhood
word: cousin humper
word: cousinize
word: Cousin John
word: cousinless
word: cousinlike
word: cousinliness
word: cousinly
word: cousin prime
word: cousinred
word: cousinry
english: American or British intelligence services
translation: American or British intelligence services
word: cousins
word: cousinship
word: cousiny
word: cuzzy
word: everybody and his cousin
word: everybody and their cousin
word: everyone and his cousin
word: everyone and their cousin
word: false cousin
word: forty-second cousin
word: grandcousin
word: half first cousin
word: noncousin
word: ship's cousin
word: stepcousin
word: think one is God's own cousin
Related terms: once removed
thrice removed
twice removed