Q: I've heard that “cousin” derives from “co-sin” because cousins are often accomplices in mischief. Could that possibly be true?
— Chris Ryan, New York City
A: Well, if you're thinking about the time my cousin Ricky and I took the wheels off my little sister's baby carriage to make a soap box car, you might be right. But, alas, “cousin” has a less nefarious origin.
“Cousin” derives from the Latin “consobrinus,” which specifically denoted “the child of one's mother's sister.” “Consobrinus” later expanded to mean the child of any uncle or aunt, and, when English adopted it as “cousin” during the 1200s, its meaning enlarged even further to include any relative.
That's why characters are always running around in Shakespeare's plays calling everyone “gentle coz” — along with a lot of other names we can't mention here.
Eventually, “cousin” trimmed down to its current meaning — the child of any uncle or aunt, preferably one who can get you free tickets to Red Sox games.
Q: I'm wondering about the word “presently?” I once used it to mean “currently,” and someone said it actually means “soon.”
— Susan Plese via email
A: Like an indecisive chameleon, “presently” has changed its meanings several times over the centuries.
When it first crawled into English during the 1300s, it did have the meaning you gave it: “currently,” as in “we presently have five chameleons.” But during the 1600s, “presently” re-colorized itself to mean “immediately” as in, “The peasants are attacking! Bring me the boiling oil presently!”
Then, a century later, “presently” shifted its meaning again, this time to “in a short time, soon,” as in, “I'll serve your tea presently.”
But the original “currently” meaning of “presently” never disappeared, despite its growing condemnation by usage authorities. The American Heritage Dictionary, for instance, reports that, between 1965 and 1999, half its usage panel disapproved of sentences such as: “Madeline Albright is presently secretary of state.”
Some claim that using “presently” to mean “currently” causes ambiguity. But in most cases the verb tense always reveals which meaning is intended. For instance, “we are eating presently” clearly refers to current eating, and “we will be eating presently” to future eating.
My only reservation about using “presently” to mean “currently” is wordiness. Why use a long chameleon when the short mouse “now” does the trick.
Why am I picturing a chameleon eating a mouse? Gulp!
FAQs
Inherited from Middle French cousin, from Old French cosin (“collateral male relative more distant than one's brother; form of address used by a monarch to male monarchs or nobles”) [and other forms] , from Latin cōnsōbrīnus (“maternal cousin; first cousin; relation”) (possibly through Vulgar Latin *cōsuīnus, from * ...
What is a cousin answer? ›
A cousin is a relative that is the child of a parent's sibling; this is more specifically referred to as a first cousin.
How do you define your cousin? ›
1. a. : a child of one's uncle or aunt. b. : a relative descended from one's grandparent or more remote ancestor by two or more steps and in a different line.
What did cousin used to mean? ›
“Cousin” derives from the Latin “consobrinus,” which specifically denoted “the child of one's mother's sister.” “Consobrinus” later expanded to mean the child of any uncle or aunt, and, when English adopted it as “cousin” during the 1200s, its meaning enlarged even further to include any relative.
What does cousin mean in modern English? ›
In modern English, it is primarily used for the relationship between the children of brothers and sisters (first cousins), with some extension permitted, such as for the children of first cousins (second cousins, or cousins once removed) and their children.
What is a cousin in slang? ›
Cousin, as a slang, is used as a term of endearment to show a close bonded relationship or familiarity (more than acquaintance, usually someone you have known for a while). The word is shortened to "cuzz".
What does your cousin mean to you? ›
First cousins are the children of (their parent's) siblings. They share a set of grandparents. First cousins are the same generation as each other. They're both two generations away from the grandparents they share. If first cousins have children, the children are second cousins to each other.
How do you describe cousin in one word? ›
A cousin is a relative that's farther from you than an immediate relation like your brother or sister, usually the child of your aunt or uncle.
What is the cousin rule? ›
According to the Cosine Rule, the square of the length of any one side of a triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the length of the other two sides subtracted by twice their product multiplied by the cosine of their included angle. Mathematically it is given as: a2 = b2 + c2 – 2bc cos x.
What is the legal definition of a cousin? ›
Definition & Citations:
Those who descend from the brother or sister of the father of the person spoken of are called “paternal cousins;” “maternal cousins” are those who are descended from the brothers or sisters of the mother. Cous- ins-german are first cousins. Sanderson v. Bayley, 4 Myl.
The trust that you both have in each other is what will continue to keep your family tied together. Over the years, a cousin fulfils many roles in one's life. They will be a partner-in-crime, a groomsman or bridesmaid, a shoulder to lean on, and a lifelong friend.
What is a word for cousin? ›
Synonyms: coz (slang), cuz (slang), first cousin, kin , kindred, kinsfolk, kinfolk, kinsman, kinswoman, relative , relation , family , blood , distant cousin, second cousin, cousin once removed, cousin twice removed, blood relation, blood relative. Is something important missing?
What do all the cousins mean? ›
First cousins are non-siblings that share grandparents. Second cousins are non-siblings that share great-grandparents. Third cousins are non-siblings that share great-great-grandparents. First cousins once removed are two people for whom the first cousin relationship is one generation removed.
What does cousins teach us? ›
Your cousins taught you how to be the best friend you can be. They showed you how to be supportive and caring and loyal and fun. You learn how to be grateful. You can't choose your family, but you know if you could, you would choose yours again and again and again.
Are cousins blood related to you? ›
A blood relative is a person who is related to another person by blood or ancestry. This means that they share a common ancestor, such as a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent. For example, a person's siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all considered blood relatives.
Why is it called cousin removed? ›
When cousins are not in the same generation, then we refer to them as 'removed'. For example, 'first cousins once removed' declares that either one of you is one generation away from being first cousins. If your first cousin has children, they are your first cousins once removed.
Why do we call cousin? ›
A cousin is a relative that's farther from you than an immediate relation like your brother or sister, usually the child of your aunt or uncle. Depending on how many children are born into your family, you might have tons of cousins you've never even met, like your distant cousin Johnny who went wild up in Alaska.
What does cousin mean in Shakespeare? ›
cousin “a common expression from one kinsman to another, out of the degree of parent and child, brother and sister” (RITSON) , and which “seems to have been used instead of our kinsman and kinswoman, and to have supplied the place of both” (MALONE) , 1 HENRY IV., i. 3. 292; ROMEO AND JULIET, i. 5. 28; iii.
What is the definition of a cousin in ancestry? ›
First cousins share grandparents, counting back two generations to their shared ancestors. Second cousins count back three generations to their great-grandparents. Third cousins count back four generations to their great-great-grandparents.
