cross-cousin marriage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Academic / Anthropological
Quick answer
What does “cross-cousin marriage” mean?
A marriage custom where an individual marries the child of their parent's opposite-gender sibling.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A marriage custom where an individual marries the child of their parent's opposite-gender sibling.
An anthropological kinship practice where a person marries their mother's brother's child or father's sister's child, often serving to reinforce alliances between family lines or clans, as opposed to parallel-cousin marriage. It is a structural feature in many kinship systems globally.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or spelling. Usage is confined to the same academic/anthropological register in both varieties.
Connotations
Technical, descriptive, culturally relative.
Frequency
Extremely low in general usage; appears almost exclusively in academic texts on kinship, anthropology, or sociology in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “cross-cousin marriage” in a Sentence
[Group/Community] + practices/prescribes + cross-cousin marriageCross-cousin marriage + is + [common/forbidden/preferred] + in [culture]The + [anthropologist/study] + analysed + cross-cousin marriage + in [region]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cross-cousin marriage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The community traditionally cross-cousin-marries to keep property within the lineage.
- They are expected to cross-cousin-marry.
American English
- The clan practices cross-cousin marrying to strengthen alliances.
- He will cross-cousin-marry his maternal uncle's daughter.
adverb
British English
- Marriages were arranged cross-cousinly according to tradition.
American English
- The kinship system functions cross-cousinly, directing marriage choices.
adjective
British English
- The cross-cousin marriage rule is strictly observed.
- They have a cross-cousin marriage system.
American English
- Cross-cousin marriage patterns were documented by the ethnographer.
- A cross-cousin marriage preference is evident.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Central term in kinship studies, anthropology, and sociology for describing specific marriage patterns and alliance theories.
Everyday
Virtually never used. Would require explanation.
Technical
Precise term in anthropology with subtypes (matrilateral, patrilateral, bilateral).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cross-cousin marriage”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cross-cousin marriage”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cross-cousin marriage”
- Using it to refer to any marriage between cousins (it is specific to children of opposite-sex siblings).
- Confusing 'cross-cousin' with 'parallel-cousin' (children of same-sex siblings).
- Using it in non-academic contexts without definition.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is prescribed or preferred in specific communities and cultures worldwide, particularly in parts of South India, Indigenous Australia, Amazonia, and elsewhere, but is not a global norm.
A cross-cousin is the child of your mother's brother or father's sister. A parallel-cousin is the child of your mother's sister or father's brother.
It is a key example of how marriage creates social alliances between family groups, reinforces social structure, and regulates kinship relations, central to theories of reciprocity and exchange.
It is a specific type of consanguineous marriage (marriage between relatives). All cross-cousin marriages are consanguineous, but not all consanguineous marriages are cross-cousin marriages.
A marriage custom where an individual marries the child of their parent's opposite-gender sibling.
Cross-cousin marriage is usually academic / anthropological in register.
Cross-cousin marriage: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkrɒs ˈkʌz.ən ˈmær.ɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkrɑːs ˈkʌz.ən ˈmer.ɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Marry your cross-cousin (descriptive, not a fixed idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a family tree where lines CROSS between siblings of opposite genders to connect the cousins who are meant to marry.
Conceptual Metaphor
KINSHIP IS A STRUCTURAL GRID; MARRIAGE IS AN ALLIANCE BRIDGE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the defining characteristic of cross-cousin marriage?