The word "cousin" refers to a person who is the child of one's uncle or aunt. This means that a cousin shares a grandparent with you, but not a parent. Cousins can vary widely in age and can have relationships that range from very close to quite distant, depending on family dynamics.
The word "cousin" originates from the Latin word "consobrinus," which means "the child of one's mother's sister." It evolved through Old French as “cosin” before entering the English language in the Middle Ages.