Monday word: cater-cousin

[ersatz-read.livejournal.com]

cater-cousin (ˈkeɪtəˌkʌzən), noun

(archaic) An intimate friend; a person who is treated as a cousin but is not a blood relation.

Etymology:  1500s.  The most popular explanation is that 'cater-' means "crooked" or "angled".  Similar to cater-corner (diagonally across from).
In my part of the country, "cater-corner" has been corrupted to "kitty corner"; as far as I know, cater-cousin never experienced such changes.