A couple is two people or things that are linked together, especially two people in a romantic relationship.
From Old French “cople,” meaning “pair,” from Latin “copula” (a bond or link). It has long carried the sense of things being tied or joined together.
When we say a ‘couple of’ things, we casually mean ‘a few,’ but the core idea is always two linked items. In relationships, the word hints that two people aren’t just side by side—they’re connected by some invisible tie.
Historically, “couple” in many legal and social contexts implicitly meant a man and a woman, especially in marriage law and religious discourse. This heteronormative default shaped how relationships were recorded, discussed, and granted rights.
Use “couple” for any two people in a relationship without assuming genders, and avoid pairing it with gendered assumptions (e.g., don’t default to “husband and wife”). Clarify if a specific configuration is relevant (e.g., “queer couple,” “two women”) only when context requires.
["partners","pair"]
When discussing the history of couples’ rights, explicitly acknowledge the role of women and LGBTQ+ activists who fought for recognition of diverse partnerships, including equal marriage and domestic rights.
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