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germain

first cousin

adjective zher-MEHN Rare
People & Society Family

Origin: Latin germanus (of the same parents, full)

Also means

germane

Usage Note

Germain appears primarily in the phrase cousin germain / cousine germaine, meaning 'first cousin' (sharing the same grandparents). The standalone adjective in the sense of 'germane, relevant' is a literary borrowing also found in English. The patron saint of Paris, Saint Germain, gives the Left Bank neighborhood Saint-Germain-des-Prés its name.

Examples

"Mon cousin germain habite à Lyon."

Natural Translation

My first cousin lives in Lyon.

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