How cousin terms work
The cousin number
The cousin degree (1st, 2nd, 3rd…) is one less than the fewest generations back to your shared ancestor — first cousins share a grandparent, second cousins share a great-grandparent.
"Removed" is a generation gap
If one side has more generations back to the ancestor than the other, you're cousins "removed" by that difference — once removed for 1 generation, twice for 2, and so on.
When it's not a "cousin"
If the shared ancestor is only 1 generation back for one person, that person is the other's aunt, uncle, niece or nephew instead — or a direct parent/grandparent if it's 0 generations back for one side.