English
cousin
Cousin comes from Middle English cosin, from Old French cosin, from Latin cōnsobrīnus ‘first cousin’, from sobrīnus, ultimately from PIE *swésōr ‘sister’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*swésōr‘sister’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*swezrīnos‘of a sister’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsobrīnus‘maternal cousin’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnsobrīnus‘maternal cousin; first cousin’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400cosin‘kinsman’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘kinsman; cousin’
- Englishearliest quotation 1526cousin
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*swésōr‘sister’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*swezrīnos‘of a sister’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsobrīnus‘maternal cousin’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnsobrīnus‘maternal cousin; first cousin’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400cosin‘kinsman’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘kinsman; cousin’
- Englishearliest quotation 1526cousin
Earliest quotation: 1526, [William Tyndale, The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible): “Salute Andronicus⸝ and Junia my coſyns⸝ which were preſoners…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *swésōr ‘sister’
through Proto-Italic *swezōr ‘sister’
Today it means
noun Chiefly with a qualifying word: Any relation (especially a distant one) who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of a person's extended family; a kinsman or kinswoman.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *swésōr / cousin