Pair

/pɛr/ noun

Definition

A pair is two things that are used together or are seen as a set, or two people or animals that are together.

Etymology

From Old French *paire* “a pair,” from Latin *paria* “equals,” from *par* “equal.” It originally emphasized two equal or matching parts.

Kelly Says

A pair is more than just ‘two’; it’s two that belong together—like shoes, chopsticks, or dance partners. English even treats some pairs as one unit: you say “a pair of scissors” even though it looks like one object.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.