Cross cousin

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Cross Cousin is an anthropological term describing kin who are in the same descent group as the subject (ego) and are from the parent's opposite-sexed sibling. Simply put, a cross cousin is a first cousin who is the child of the mother's brother (maternal uncle's child) or of the father's sister (paternal aunt's child).

A chart showing family members in relation to Ego
A chart showing family members in relation to Ego

The role of cross cousins is especially important in some cultures (such as the Iroquois system) where marriage is promoted between them and the subject (ego). In a patrilineal culture (such as the Omaha system), cross cousins are the subject's father's sister's children. In a matrilineality (such as the Crow system), cross cousins are the subject's mother's brother's children.

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