German word

Vetter

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈfɛtɐ/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncousin

Example

Mein Vetter besucht uns morgen.

My cousin is visiting us tomorrow.

Illustration for Vetter (cousin)

More examples

Unser Vetter kommt aus Österreich und spricht Dialekt.

Our cousin is from Austria and speaks a dialect.

Core concept

A parent's brother or sister has a son who occupies the speaker's own generation in the family.

Common phrases

  • mein älterer Vetter

    my older cousin

  • ein Vetter mütterlicherseits

    a maternal cousin

  • angeheirateter Vetter

    a cousin by marriage

Similar words

Cousine: A female cousin in the same generation as the speaker.
Cousin: A male cousin in the same generation as the speaker.
Verwandte: People connected through a family relationship.

Definition in German

Sohn eines Bruders oder einer Schwester eines Elternteils; männliche Person, die mit einer anderen durch gemeinsame Großeltern verwandt ist.

Word origin

Vetter is an inherited Germanic kinship word recorded as Old High German fetiro and later as Middle High German veter.

Usage tips

  • In modern German, Vetter specifically identifies a male cousin, while English cousin does not itself show the relative's gender.

Related words

  • Vetternwirtschaftnepotismnoun
  • Vetterchendear cousinnoun

Word lists with this word