cousin English · revision 5428

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1225|origins=la soror}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkʌz.ən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|cosin]], [[bor|fro|cosin|alt=cosin, cusin|t=nephew; kinsman; cousin]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|cōnsobrīnus|t=mother's sister's child]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|com-|t=with, together]] and sobrīnus “cousin on the mother's side”, earlier *sosrīnos, from [[m|la|soror|t=sister]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) It is related to [[sister]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A relative by blood or marriage: about 1225 in King Horn according to Barnhart, the early 13th century in Etymonline; it is a surname from 1160.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The modern sense, the child of an uncle or aunt, is attested by about 1300,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) but throughout Middle English the word was also used of grandchildren, godchildren and especially nephews and nieces.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) A closely related thing is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) From 1418 it was used by one sovereign addressing another.^(OED 1989) ''First cousin'' and ''second cousin'' are from 1660,^(OED 1989) and kindred nations, such as the British and Americans, are ''cousins'' from 1837.^(OED 1989) Old English had separate words for some kinds of cousin, such as fæderan sunu “father's brother's son”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1160 – a surname.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1225 – a relative.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – the child of an uncle or aunt.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1418 – between sovereigns.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1660 – ''first'' and ''second cousin''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A child of one's [[uncle]] or [[aunt]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A more distant relative descended from the same ancestor.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person or thing related to another by nature or origin: ''our American cousins''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cousinhood]]

+ * [[cousinly]]

+ * [[cousinship]]

+ * [[cousinage]]

+ * [[cater-cousin]]

+ * [[coz]]

+ * [[cousinry]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sister]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}