What does the term "cousin once or twice removed" mean?

Question:

What does the term "cousin once or twice removed" mean?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: That they are up or down one or two generations from you.

Your father's cousins - first, second, etc - are yours two, only once removed. That is, your father's and mother's first cousins are your 1c1r. Their second cousins are your 2c1r, and so forth.

Your grandparents are yours twice removed, (1C2R, 2C2R, 3C2R . . . and so on.)

Your first cousin's children are your first cousins once removed too -that is going "down" the generation tree.

You can keep adding, if you like. Your 5th great grandfather's 12th cousin is your 12th cousin 7 times removed.