quaternary twin

noun

First cousins whose parents are a pair of identical twins.

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Meanings

nounquaternary twin (plural quaternary twins)

plural quaternary twins

  1. First cousins whose parents are a pair of identical twins.

    Quaternary twins occur when one set of identical twins has children with another set of identical twins.

    2024 March 18, Rachel Abrahamson, Today
    2 more examples

    Quaternary twins are defined as the offspring born less than nine months apart to two sets of identical siblings. They don’t share a womb, or even a parent, but the DNA they inherit from their twin parents makes them not only cousins, but genetic brothers.

    2022 February 24, Michelle Butterfield, Global News

    The boys — who are not only cousins also genetic siblings known as "quaternary twins" — share the same room and have close relationships with all four adults.

    2023 May 5, Diane Herbst, People
Cite this entry
APA

quaternary twin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quaternary%20twin

MLA

“quaternary twin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quaternary%20twin. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “quaternary twin,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quaternary%20twin.

Source: quaternary twin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.