cousin French · revision 17076

+ {{homograph|1|relative}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (cusin)|origins=la sobrīnus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ku.zɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cousin''' ''m'' (plural cousins, feminine cousine)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''cusin'' (1080), ''cosin'' (about 1150); feminine ''cosine'' (about 1170).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The relative is [[inh|fro|cosin]], [[inh|la|cōnsobrīnus|t=first cousin on the mother's side; first cousin]], through a shortened form [[m|la-vul|*cosīnus]], probably from children's speech.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|2, 1073a) “Cōnsobrīnus” is from [[m|la|con-]] and [[m|la|sobrīnus|t=cousin]], from [[m|la|soror|t=sister]]: properly a child of two sisters.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Compare [[oc|cosin]] and [[ca|cosí]]; [[it|cugino]] is borrowed from French, while [[es|primo]] uses another word.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the ''Chanson de Roland'' (about 1100) ''Milon son cusin'' is Thibaut of Reims's kinsman, ''cosin germain'' “first cousin” is in the ''Roman de Thèbes'' (about 1150).^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Unlike the Latin word, ''cousin'' is not limited to first cousins, who are specified as ''cousins germains''.^(DHLF 1992) Like other kinship terms it expressed affinity (1226); ''mon cousin'' was the form of address used by the king of France to princes of the blood, cardinals and marshals (1690), whence the ironic ''le roi n'est pas son cousin'' “he thinks himself as grand as the king” (17th century).^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007) In African French ''cousin'' is used more widely for a relative, and ''cousin à plaisanterie'' for someone linked by a joking relationship.^(DHLF 1992) ''Cousin à la mode de Bretagne'' is a distant relative.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – ''Cusin'', ''Chanson de Roland''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1150 – ''Cosin germain'', ''Roman de Thèbes''.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1170 – Feminine ''cosine germainne'', Chrétien de Troyes.^(TLFi)

+ * 1226 – Of affinity.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1690 – ''Mon cousin'', the king's form of address.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|cousin]] (feminine ''cousine''): ''cousin germain'', first cousin, ''cousin issu de germain'', second cousin.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''Cousin à la mode de Bretagne'': a distant relative.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(history)'' ''Mon cousin'': the king's form of address to great nobles, ''le roi n'est pas son cousin'', he thinks a lot of himself.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cousinage]]

+ * [[cousiner]]

+ * [[petit-cousin]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|gnat}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=1551|origins=la culex}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ku.zɛ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cousin''' ''m'' (plural cousins)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The gnat is probably [[inh|la-vul|*culicīnus]], a diminutive of [[la|culex|t=gnat, midge]], as the Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Littré suggest; its origin is disputed.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|2, 1494b) Bloch and Wartburg instead explain it as an alteration of “cusin” (16th century), derived from an unattested Old French [[m|fro|*couç]] “gnat”, from “culex”, with the “u” of some forms due to words from [[la|pūlex|t=flea]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The word is first recorded in 1551 for a gnat or mosquito, ''cusin'' is found in 1577.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Cousin'' was the ordinary word for the mosquito before [[moustique]] took over; this use survives in Louisiana.^(Wiktionary)^(Petit Robert 2007) Today it names especially the crane fly.^(Wiktionary) Old familiar French also called hangers-on ''cousins''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1551 – First recorded.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1577 – ''Cusin''.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|gnat]], [[m|en|mosquito]] (dated, still in Louisiana); a crane fly.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sœur]]

+ * [[la|cōnsobrīnus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}