Cousins

A cousin is a relative who shares a common ancestor with you but is not your parent or sibling. The most familiar usage is first cousin, the child of your parent’s sibling; you and a first cousin share a pair of grandparents.

Higher-order cousins are defined by more distant common ancestors. Second cousins share great-grandparents, third cousins share great-great-grandparents, and so on. The term “removed” describes generation differences: your parent’s first cousin is your first cousin once removed, and your cousin’s child is also your first cousin once removed. Similarly, two people on different generations with the same great-grandparent are second cousins twice removed, for example.

Genetic relatedness is often described in approximate percentages. First cousins typically share about 12.5% of their DNA, second cousins about 3.125%, and third cousins around 0.78%.

Cultural and social aspects vary widely. Cousins are commonly part of extended family networks and may play important social and ceremonial roles in many communities. Kinship terminology and expectations differ by culture, including distinctions between parallel and cross cousins in some traditions. Legally, the status of cousin marriage varies by jurisdiction and can be a factor in inheritance practices and family law; some places permit it, others restrict or prohibit it for genetic or social reasons.

In summary, cousins are relatives who connect through shared ancestors beyond the immediate family, with the degree of cousinship and the social or legal implications differing across cultures and legal systems.