cous|in

cous|in «KUHZ uhn», noun.

1. the son or daughter of one's uncle or aunt. First cousins have the same grandparents; second cousins have the same great-grandparents; and so on for third and fourth cousins. The children of brothers and sisters are called cousins, cousins-german, first cousins, or full cousins; children of first cousins are called second cousins.

2. a) a distant relative. b) (formerly, frequently) a nephew or niece. c) Law. (formerly) the next of kin, including ancestors and descendants more remote than parent or child.

3. a citizen of a related nation: »

The British, Canadians, and Americans might be called cousins.

4. Figurative. a person or thing having affinity of nature to another: »

That renegade is first cousin to a rattlesnake.

5. a term used by one sovereign in speaking to another sovereign or to a great nobleman.

╂[< Old French cousin, cosin < Latin cōnsōbrīnus mother's sister's child < com- together + soror sister]