first-cousin

first-cousin

A child plays with their first-cousin in the backyard.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • Child of an aunt or uncle: "first-cousin" refers to the son or daughter of one's aunt or uncle. This is the most common meaning, indicating a relative who shares a set of grandparents with the speaker.
    • A relative in the same generation: In genealogical terms, a "first-cousin" is a person whose parents are siblings of the speaker's parents, meaning they are two generations removed from a common grandparent.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • My first-cousin Sarah is the daughter of my mother's sister. (A relative whose mother is your aunt.)
    • He invited all his first-cousins to the family reunion. (All the children of his aunts and uncles.)
Advanced Usage

  • "first-cousin once removed": A person who is the child of one's first-cousin, or the first-cousin of one's parent. This indicates a one-generation difference.

    • Her mother's first-cousin is her first-cousin once removed. (A relative one generation older or younger.)

  • "first-cousin twice removed": A person who is the grandchild of one's first-cousin, or the first-cousin of one's grandparent. This indicates a two-generation difference.

    • My grandfather's first-cousin is my first-cousin twice removed. (A relative two generations older or younger.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Cousin (n): a general term for any child of an aunt or uncle, without specifying the degree.

    • She is my cousin, but I don't know if she is a first-cousin or second-cousin. (A relative through an aunt or uncle.)

  • Second-cousin (n): the child of one's parent's first-cousin, sharing a great-grandparent.

    • My second-cousin and I share a great-grandmother. (A more distant relative than a first-cousin.)
Synonyms
  • Relative: a person connected by blood or marriage.
  • Kinsman (formal): a male relative.
  • Kinswoman (formal): a female relative.
Related Idioms

  • "Cousin by marriage": a relative who is the spouse of one's cousin.

    • She is not my blood relative; she is my cousin by marriage. (Related through marriage, not blood.)

  • "Kissing cousin": a relative close enough to be greeted with a kiss, often used figuratively for something closely related.

    • That idea is a kissing cousin to my own proposal. (Very similar or related.)