Related Searches
on Ask.com
cousin - 7 dictionary results
cous⋅in
[kuhz-uh
n] 
–noun
| 1. | Also called first cousin, full cousin, cousin-german. the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt. |
| 2. | one related by descent in a diverging line from a known common ancestor, as from one's grandparent or from one's father's or mother's sister or brother. |
| 3. | a kinsman or kinswoman; relative. |
| 4. | a person or thing related to another by similar natures, languages, geographical proximity, etc.: Our Canadian cousins are a friendly people. |
| 5. | Slang. a gullible, innocent person who is easily duped or taken advantage of. |
| 6. | a term of address used by a sovereign in speaking, writing, or referring to another sovereign or a high-ranking noble. |
Origin:
1250–1300; ME cosin < AF co(u)sin, OF cosin < L consōbrīnus cousin (properly, son of one's mother's sister), equiv. to con- con- + sōbrīnus second cousin (presumably orig. “pertaining to the sister”) < *swesrīnos, equiv. to *swesr-, gradational var. of *swesōr (> soror sister ) + *-īnos -ine 1 ; for -sr- > -br- cf. December
1250–1300; ME cosin < AF co(u)sin, OF cosin < L consōbrīnus cousin (properly, son of one's mother's sister), equiv. to con- con- + sōbrīnus second cousin (presumably orig. “pertaining to the sister”) < *swesrīnos, equiv. to *swesr-, gradational var. of *swesōr (> soror sister ) + *-īnos -ine 1 ; for -sr- > -br- cf. December
Related forms:
cous⋅in⋅age, cous⋅in⋅hood, cous⋅in⋅ship, noun
Cou⋅sin
[koo-zan] –noun
| Vic⋅tor [veek-tawr] , 1792–1867, French philosopher and educational reformer: founder of the method of eclecticism in French philosophy. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source
|
Link To cousin
| cous·in (kŭz'ĭn) n.
[Middle English cosin, a relative, from Old French, from Latin cōnsōbrīnus, cousin : com-, com- + sōbrīnus, cousin on the mother's side; see swesor- in Indo-European roots.] cous'in·hood' n., cous'in·ly adj., cous'in·ship' n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Cousin
Cous"in\ (k?z"'n), 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 (forsosor) sister. See Sister, and cf. Cozen, Coz.]1. One collaterally related more remotely than a brother or sister; especially, the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt. Note: 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. Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son, A cousin-german to great Priam's seed. --Shak. 2. 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. My noble lords and cousins, all, good morrow. --Shak.Cousin
Cous"in\, n. Allied; akin. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : cousin
Spanish:
primo,
German:
der, *die Cousin, *e,
Japanese:
いとこ
cousin
1160, from O.Fr. cosin, from L. consobrinus "mother's sister's child," from com- "together" + sobrinus (earlier *sosrinos) "cousin on mother's side," from soror (gen. sororis) "sister." Used familiarly as a term of address since 1430, especially in Cornwall. Your first cousin (also cousin-german) is the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt; your children and your first cousin's are second cousins to one another; to you, your first cousin's children are first cousin once removed. Phrase kissing cousin is Southern U.S. expression, 1940s, denoting "those close enough to be kissed in salutation;" Kentish cousin (1796) is an old British term for "distant relative."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
cousin
see country cousin; first cousin; kissing cousins; second cousin.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
>
