cousin-german

• cousin german

From French cousin germain. See also Middle English cosin Middle English germain.

cousin-german (plural cousin-germans or cousins-german) (archaic)

1. A first cousin.
   • 1838, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Duty and Inclination, volume III, London: Henry Colburn, page 254:

     This interesting explanation of family connections given by Mrs. Boville occasioned an éclaircissement exceedingly gratifying to Mrs. De Brooke and Rosilia. Doctor Lovesworth, for whom they had mutually, with the whole of their family, felt so great a partiality, was found to be the cousin-german of Mrs. De Brooke.

2. (figurative) Something closely related.
   • 1866, Patrick Fairbairn, The Imperial Bible-Dictionary, page 59:

     This propensity to display its blossoms on bare branches the almond shares with several of its kindred; and, as a parallel to Solomon's image, we may refer to its cousin-german the sloe, in our own cold clime so familiar, with its snowy petals […]

   • 1899, William Wallace Cook, “Aquastor”, in Overland Monthly‎, page 18:

     "Have a care what you do, Grantly, this Indian is cousin-german to the Old Nick, and he can read your intentions like print."