Deciphering "Cousins something" on marriage certificate

[carolapple]

Hi Rootschatters
I'm hoping for help on the attached marriage certificate (the top record).  I've made out most of it.
Below the parties names - George McKie and Mary Copland - it appears to say in brackets "Cousins German"
Cousins makes sense probably, as Mary's mother is a Fraser, and the Frasers and McKie's have a number of inter-marriages.
But the word German, if I'm reading it right, makes no sense to me at all.  Probably I'm not reading it right!
I'm also unsure on the minister's name.
The location puzzled me for a while, but it really is Officer's Croft, Old Luce, which I've found on ScotlandsPlaces, where the notes even refer to "Gilbert Copland Farmer and officer".
With many thanks for any help
Carol

[Dyingout]

Looks like an Occupation.
Housing Foreman

[familydar]

Archaic expression for cousins:

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/cousin-german

[KGarrad]

Archaic expression for cousins:

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/cousin-german

I agree
It means first-cousins.

[mckha489]

I always understood (but can’t find evidence) that they were first cousins where both the parents of each were brothers & sisters

Ie two brothers marry 2 sisters. The resultant offspring = cousins German/e

So a slightly closer relationship than regular first cousins

[Zefiro]

Cousin germain: This is same word the French use nowadays.
Un cousin germain est le fils du frère ou de la soeur de ma mère ou de mon père, il est donc l'enfant de mon oncle ou de ma tante.

= A first cousin is the son of my mother's or father's brother or sister, so he is the child of my uncle or aunt.

[Jebber]

It makes a clear indication of the relationship to separate others described as cousins. It used to be quite common for other relations to be described as cousin when in fact they could be a brother-in-law or other members of the extended family, especially in wills. It's one of those traps that is so easy to fall into during our research.

[carolapple]

Hello everyone who replied
Thanks very much
So much to learn!
That's really interesting and helpful.
I was aware the term cousins could be used more loosely than we do these days.
That may help me connect (or eliminate) more of the many Frasers.  (McKie's and Frasers are like Smith and Jones in Wigtownshire...)
Thanks again
Carol