Re: Jean Gilmour of Craigmillar, part 1

In a message dated 3/19/2006 12:31:24 PM Pacific Standard Time,

Margaret Cockburn, sister german

What does this mean? Half-sister ? Or what?
Will

Tim Powys-Lybbe...

Here's what the various internet dictionaries give:

1. From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
[gcide]:

German \Ger"man\, a. [OE. german, germain, F. germain, fr. L.
germanus full, own (said of brothers and sisters who have the
same parents); akin to germen germ. Cf. {Germ}, {Germane}.]
Nearly related; closely akin.
[1913 Webster]

Wert thou a leopard, thou wert german to the lion.
--Shak.
2. From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

GERMAN, relations, germanus. Whole or entire, as respects genealogy or
descent; thus, "brother-german," denotes one who is brother both by the
father and mother's side cousins-germane" those in the first and nearest
degree, i. e., children of brothers or sisters. Tech. Dict.; 4 M. & C. 56.