Etymology Map
Back to all words

Pair

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a set of two things

Where does the word "pair" come from? It comes from Latin paria, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
paria
Latin · ancient
"equal things"
from 'par', equal, the root of 'parity' and 'peer'
2
Stage 2 of 3
paire
Old French · medieval
"pair"
two matching items
3
Stage 3 of 3
pair
English · 1200s
"two matching things"
'pair' of trousers treats one garment as two legs
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

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.