cousin
UK: ˈkʌz(ə)n | US: ˈkʌz(ə)n
n. a child of one's uncle or aunt
n. a relative descended from a common ancestor but not a direct line
n. (figuratively) a person or thing closely related to another in character or origin
The word "cousin" traces back to Old French cosin, derived from Latin consobrinus (originally meaning "mother's sister's child"). The Latin term combines con- (with/together) and sobrinus (cousin on the mother's side, from soror "sister"). Over time, the meaning broadened in Old French to include any collateral relative, which English later adopted. The spelling preserved the French -in suffix, though the morpheme boundary is now opaque.
My cousin and I grew up together in the same neighborhood.
She introduced me to her cousin from Canada.
The two languages are cousins, sharing a common ancestor.
He treats his close friends like cousins.
In some cultures, the term "cousin" includes distant relatives.