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cater-cousin
Aug. 25th, 2011 07:30 amcater-cousin (KAY-tuhr-kuh-zuhn) - n., a close friend; a distant relation.
The connection between the senses being a person treated as a cousin who is not a blood relation. In use since at least the 1520s, of obscure origin -- the cousin part is obvious, but the cater is not: speculations include French quatre, making it a fourth cousin, and cater, buyer of provisions, which has otherwise survived only as modern caterer.
Not to be confused with cater-corner, or catticorner.
---L.
The connection between the senses being a person treated as a cousin who is not a blood relation. In use since at least the 1520s, of obscure origin -- the cousin part is obvious, but the cater is not: speculations include French quatre, making it a fourth cousin, and cater, buyer of provisions, which has otherwise survived only as modern caterer.
Not to be confused with cater-corner, or catticorner.
---L.
