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Where does the word "pair" come from? It comes from Latin paria, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "pair" come from? It comes from Latin paria, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Pair’s story begins in Latin: paria meant “equal things.” From 'par', equal, the root of 'parity' and 'peer'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as paire. Two matching items. It reached English by 1200s as pair. 'pair' of trousers treats one garment as two legs. Today, pair means a set of two things.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient paria "equal things", from 'par', equal, the root of 'parity' and 'peer'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval paire "pair", two matching items.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s pair "two matching things", 'pair' of trousers treats one garment as two legs.