cross-cousin

noun

The child of one's father's sister or of one's mother's brother; a cousin related via opposite-gender siblings rather than same-gender ones (the latter being a parallel cousin).

“Many societies forbid marriage between parallel cousins, but encourage marriage between cross-cousins or second cross-cousins.”

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Meanings

nouncross-cousin (plural cross-cousins)

plural cross-cousins · alternative cross cousin

  1. anthropologyThe child of one's father's sister or of one's mother's brother; a cousin related via opposite-gender siblings rather than same-gender ones (the latter being a parallel cousin).

    Many societies forbid marriage between parallel cousins, but encourage marriage between cross-cousins or second cross-cousins.

Origin

From cross- + cousin.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Esperanto geparenca kuzo
  • geparenca kuzorelationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
French cousin croisé
  • cousin croisérelationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
Korean 교차사촌
  • 교차사촌 (gyochasachon)relationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
Latin consobrinus, amitinus
  • consobrinusrelationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
  • amitinusrelationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
Swedish korskusin, morbrorsbarn
  • korskusinrelationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
  • morbrorsbarnrelationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
  • fastersbarnrelationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
Tamil மச்சான், மச்ளி
  • மச்சான் (maccāṉ)relationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
  • மச்ளி (macḷi)relationship between two cousins or two groups of cousins whose parents are brother and sister, respectively
Cite this entry
APA

cross-cousin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-cousin

MLA

“cross-cousin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-cousin. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cross-cousin,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-cousin.

Source: cross-cousin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.