cousins

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "cousins" is correct and commonly used in written English.
You can use it to refer to a person's siblings' or parent's children, or anyone related to them through similar family ties. For example: My cousins and I always have a good time together.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

If that is true of the big party dinosaurs, it is also true of their small cousins.

The Guardian

It happens that prairie voles tend to be monogamous while their rogue cousins, the mountain voles, are usually not.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Although clearly an Aussie edition, will Guardian Australia also give a little focus to us poor Kiwi cousins over the Tasman Sea?

The Guardian

"They may be al-Qaida members, but they are also fathers and sons, brothers and cousins, tribesmen and clansmen with friends and relatives.

The Guardian

The Cuban Picassos, he told me, have not developed relationships with their European cousins, despite the fact that his own father went to Spain in 2000 for the premiere of the documentary and the European branch of the family, which has its own contentious ties, was present.

The Guardian - Arts

The Refugee Council in the UK wants to see it made much easier for people to bring over family members such as siblings, parents or cousins.

The Guardian

In fact, we've found that Obama has no less than 44 confirmed cousins in the Senate, including Texas Republican Ted Cruz (the husband of Obama's 14th cousin, once removed) and Arizona Republican Jeff Flake Obamaa's eighth cousin, three times removed).

The Guardian - Opinion

I told the former president that he's eighth cousins with Bill Clinton.

The Guardian - Opinion

Their son Faris spent his childhood holidays in the West Bank playing football with his cousins, whose extended families had been forced to disperse all round the world, and he only got in to boarding school on a scholarship.

The Guardian - Music

The Royals, created by One Tree Hill writer Mark Schwahn, is a real eye-opener as to how our American cousins view us.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Lille is only 15 miles from Belgium and most Lillois feel that they have more in common with their cousins in Liège or Brussels than Paris.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about family relationships, be specific about the degree of relation if it's relevant to the context. For example, specify "first cousins" or "second cousins" if the distinction matters.

Common error

Ensure you accurately distinguish between "cousins" (children of aunts/uncles) and siblings (brothers/sisters) in your writing to avoid misrepresenting family dynamics.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "cousins" is as a plural noun. It refers to multiple individuals who are related to a person through common ancestors, typically the children of one's aunts or uncles. Ludwig AI confirms this usage in its examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Lifestyle

25%

Opinion

15%

Less common in

Travel

5%

Film

5%

Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "cousins" is a common and grammatically correct plural noun used to describe the children of one's aunts or uncles. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears frequently in various contexts, particularly in news, media, lifestyle, and opinion pieces. While there are related terms like "relatives" and "family members", "cousins" specifies a particular type of familial connection. When using the term, ensure accuracy in distinguishing it from other relationships like siblings. It's a versatile word that serves to clarify family dynamics in both formal and informal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

family members

Directly indicates individuals belonging to the same family.

relatives

Refers to family members more broadly.

relations

A general term for people connected by blood or marriage.

kin

A more formal and general term for relatives or family.

blood relations

Emphasizes the genetic connection between relatives.

extended family

Indicates family members beyond the immediate nuclear family.

distant relatives

Specifies relatives who are not closely related.

next of kin

A legal term referring to the closest living relatives.

immediate family

Refers to the closest relatives, often excluding cousins.

siblings

Refers specifically to brothers and sisters, not cousins.

FAQs

How do I use "cousins" in a sentence?

Use "cousins" to refer to the children of your aunts or uncles. For example, "My cousins and I grew up together".

What's the difference between "cousins" and "siblings"?

"Cousins" are the children of your aunts or uncles, while "siblings" are your brothers and sisters, sharing at least one parent.

Are there different types of "cousins"?

Yes, there are different degrees of cousins, such as "first cousins", "second cousins", and "cousins once removed", indicating different levels of familial relation.

What is another word for "cousins"?

While there's no perfect synonym, you can use terms like "relatives" or "family members" to refer to "cousins" in a broader context.