Cousin vs. Relative — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 6, 2024
Cousin refers specifically to a person with whom one shares one or more common ancestors, while a relative encompasses any family member related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Difference Between Cousin and Relative
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Cousins are a specific kind of relative, characterized by sharing at least one common ancestor, such as a grandparent. This connection is usually through bloodlines, but can also be through adoption or marriage in the case of step-cousins. Whereas relatives include a broader category of familial connections beyond direct lineage, including in-laws, spouses, and any blood-related family members.
Cousins are categorized by degrees and removals based on their direct ancestral line, with first cousins sharing grandparents and second cousins sharing great-grandparents. On the other hand, the term relative does not require such specific categorization, as it refers to anyone within an individual's family tree, regardless of the directness or distance of the relationship.
The significance of cousins varies culturally, with some societies placing a strong emphasis on maintaining close relationships with a wide network of cousins, while relatives, in a broader sense, can include immediate family members with whom one might have a closer daily relationship. This contrasts with the wider definition of relatives, which may encompass distant connections one might not regularly engage with or even know personally.
Legal definitions and rights often distinguish between cousins and closer relatives, such as siblings or parents. Cousins may have fewer legal rights or recognized familial obligations in matters of inheritance or guardianship, whereas closer relatives are typically prioritized in legal contexts.
Cousins can serve as an important network of support, friendship, and connection to extended family history and culture. In contrast, the broader category of relatives can include those with whom one has a more obligatory or formal relationship, not necessarily based on personal affinity or frequent contact.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A person with whom one shares one or more common ancestors, typically grandparents.
Anyone related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Connection
Directly through common ancestors like grandparents or great-grandparents.
Can be direct or indirect, through marriage, adoption, or lineage.
Categorization
By degrees (e.g., first, second) and removals.
Broad, without specific degrees or removals.
Legal Significance
Limited rights in legal contexts such as inheritance.
Closer relatives often have more recognized rights and obligations.
Social Role
Often maintains a special bond or friendship within the extended family.
Encompasses a wide range of relationships, from close to distant, obligatory to affectionate.
Compare with Definitions
Cousin
Removed cousin: differs by a generation.
My cousin once removed is my mother's first cousin.
Relative
Anyone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption.
I invited all my relatives to the wedding.
Cousin
Second cousin: someone sharing the same great-grandparents.
I discovered my second cousin at a family reunion.
Relative
A parent, one's father or mother.
My parents are my immediate relatives.
Cousin
Step-cousin: related through a parent's marriage.
My step-cousin and I met after our parents got married.
Relative
A sibling, a brother or sister.
My siblings are also my closest relatives.
Cousin
A child of one's aunt or uncle.
My cousin and I spent summers together at our grandparents' house.
Relative
An ancestor, a forebear from previous generations.
I researched my ancestors to learn about my relatives.
Cousin
First cousin: someone sharing the same grandparents.
My first cousin and I share our grandmother's recipes.
Relative
An in-law, related by marriage.
My mother-in-law is a cherished relative.
Cousin
A child of one's aunt or uncle. Also called first cousin.
Relative
Considered in relation or in proportion to something else
The relative effectiveness of the various mechanisms is not known
Cousin
Commonly, "cousin" refers to a "first cousin", a relative whose most recent common ancestor with the subject is a grandparent. More generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor.
Relative
A species or other taxon that shares a common ancestor, usually a relatively recent ancestor, with another
The jaguar is a relative of the lion.
Cousin
A relative descended from a common ancestor, such as a grandparent, by two or more steps in a diverging line.
Relative
Connected to or depending on something else; comparative.
Cousin
A relative by blood or marriage; a kinsman or kinswoman.
Relative
Expressed in relation to another item, rather than in complete form.
Cousin
A member of a kindred group or country
Our Canadian cousins.
Relative
Relevant; pertinent; related.
Relative to your earlier point about taxes, ...
Cousin
Something similar in quality or character
"There's no mistaking soca for its distant Jamaican cousin, reggae" (Michael Saunders).
Relative
Capable to be changed by other beings or circumstance; conditional.
Cousin
Used as a form of address by a sovereign in addressing another sovereign or a high-ranking member of the nobility.
Relative
Someone in the same family; someone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Why do my relatives always talk about sex?
Cousin
The child of a person's uncle or aunt; a first cousin.
I think my cousin is a good man.
Relative
(linguistics) A type of adjective that inflects like a relative clause, rather than a true adjective, in certain Bantu languages.
Cousin
(archaic) A kinsman.
Relative
Having relation or reference; referring; respecting; standing in connection; pertaining; as, arguments not relative to the subject.
I'll have groundsMore relative than this.
Cousin
Any relation who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of one's extended family; one more distantly related than an uncle, aunt, granduncle, grandaunt, nephew, niece, grandnephew, grandniece, etc.
Relative
Arising from relation; resulting from connection with, or reference to, something else; not absolute.
Every thing sustains both an absolute and a relative capacity: an absolute, as it is such a thing, endued with such a nature; and a relative, as it is a part of the universe, and so stands in such a relations to the whole.
Cousin
(obsolete) A title formerly given by a king to a nobleman, particularly to those of the council. In English writs, etc., issued by the crown, it signifies any earl.
Relative
Indicating or expressing relation; refering to an antecedent; as, a relative pronoun.
Cousin
(figurative) Something kindred or related to something else.
Relative
Characterizing or pertaining to chords and keys, which, by reason of the identify of some of their tones, admit of a natural transition from one to the other.
Cousin
A member of the British intelligence services (from an American perspective) or of the American intelligence services (from a British perspective).
Relative
One who, or that which, relates to, or is considered in its relation to, something else; a relative object or term; one of two object or term; one of two objects directly connected by any relation.
Cousin
One collaterally related more remotely than a brother or sister; especially, the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt.
Thou art, great lord, my father's sister's son,A cousin-german to great Priam's seed.
Relative
A person related by blood or marriage;
Police are searching for relatives of the deceased
He has distant relations back in New Jersey
Cousin
A title formerly given by a king to a nobleman, particularly to those of the council. In English writs, etc., issued by the crown, it signifies any earl.
My noble lords and cousins, all, good morrow.
Relative
An animal or plant that bears a relationship to another (as related by common descent or by membership in the same genus)
Cousin
Allied; akin.
Relative
Not absolute or complete;
A relative stranger
Cousin
The child of your aunt or uncle
Relative
Properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by `to';
Punishment oughtt to be proportional to the crime
Earnings relative to production
Common Curiosities
What makes someone a cousin?
Someone becomes a cousin when they share at least one common ancestor, like a grandparent, with another person.
How are second cousins related?
Second cousins share the same great-grandparents but do not have the same grandparents.
Can cousins be considered immediate family?
Cousins are generally considered extended, not immediate, family.
What distinguishes a first cousin from a second cousin?
First cousins share grandparents, while second cousins share great-grandparents.
Are all cousins blood relatives?
Most cousins are blood relatives through common ancestors, though step-cousins are related by marriage.
Can a friend be considered a relative?
Legally and biologically, no. Relatives are connected by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Is a relative always a family member?
Yes, a relative is anyone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Do cousins have legal rights to each other's property?
Cousins may have legal rights in the absence of closer relatives, though this varies by jurisdiction.
How important are cousins in different cultures?
The importance of cousins varies widely across cultures, with some emphasizing close relationships and others not.
How do you determine a cousin once removed?
A cousin once removed is one generation away, such as your cousin's child or your parent's cousin.
Are in-laws considered relatives?
Yes, in-laws are considered relatives by marriage.
What role do cousins play in the family?
Cousins often provide social support, maintain family traditions, and keep extended family connected.
How does one become a step-cousin?
Step-cousins are related through the marriage of their parents, not by blood.
Is there a limit to how far out a relative can be?
Legally and socially, no. Anyone in the extended family tree is considered a relative.
Can relatives include distant ancestors?
Yes, distant ancestors are considered relatives in the context of genealogy and family history.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
