: Throughout much of human history, marrying cousins was common to preserve wealth, maintain social status, or secure political alliances. An estimated 80% of all historical marriages were between first or second cousins.
While the "inbred" stereotype is common in media, scientific research offers a more nuanced view of the risks.
: Elvis Presley famously starred in the 1964 musical film Kissin' Cousins , where the title track lightheartedly suggests that a "distant cousin" is fair game for romance.
: It is often used to describe two separate things that share a close similarity or common origin, such as "politics and show business" or different types of fabrics.