cousinly

1 4.8

Warm and friendly like people in the same family

adjective
/ˈkʌzənli/

: primos

He offered a cousinly hug when he saw her at the family reunion.

Examples

He greeted me with a special, cousinly warmth, and his manner toward Leah was a charming mixture of serious protectiveness and teasing adoration.

Fiction book (2002)
She showed a cousinly affection by helping him with his homework.
What a moving sentiment of cousinly regard.

Love & Friendship (2016)
Well, she might be... could end up turning out to be, um, a relative, uh, from a cousinly perspect...

A Good Year (2006)
Couldn't you just try and be a little sympathetic, a little cousinly?

Barcelona (1994)
And so I left her awkwardly, and I smiled jerkily at the bridegroom, who gave me a cousinly peck on the cheek, and we all said something about seeing each other the next day.

Fiction book (2002)
Their cousinly bond made it easy for them to confide in each other.

Synonyms

brotherly

vscousinly

26 1.6

Showing kind, loyal, and protective feelings like a brother

shows milder, more casual affection typical of extended family

sisterly

vscousinly

7 1.5

Showing warm, protective care and giving friendly advice

shows milder, less intimate caring among extended relatives

brotherlike

vscousinly

1 5.3

Having the care and loyalty of a brother

shows gentler, less intense warmth among extended relatives

sisterlike

vscousinly

1 4.7

Being warm and caring to someone the way a sister is

shows softer, more casual affection between extended family members

Surface Forms

cousinly positive

Morphology

cousinly = cousin (transparent) = cousin + ly

Meaning is directly derived from 'cousin' with the adjectival/manner-forming suffix '-ly', indicating characteristic of a cousin.

Etymology

The word cousinly comes from cousin, which means a family member or 'relative'. So cousinly means 'like a cousin', showing the friendly, familiar, family-like way a cousin acts.