pair

1 of 2

noun

plural pairs or pair
1
a(1)
: two corresponding things designed for use together
a pair of shoes
(2)
: two corresponding bodily parts or members
a pair of hands
b
: something made up of two corresponding pieces
a pair of trousers
2
a
: two similar or associated things: such as
(1)
: two mated animals
(2)
: a couple in love, engaged, or married
were a devoted pair
(3)
: two playing cards of the same value or denomination and especially of the same rank
(4)
: two horses harnessed side by side
(5)
: two members of a deliberative body that agree not to vote on a specific issue during a time agreed on
also : an agreement not to vote made by the two members
b
: a partnership especially of two players in a contest against another partnership
3
chiefly dialectal : a set or series of small objects (such as beads)

pair

2 of 2

verb

paired; pairing; pairs

transitive verb

1
a
: to make a pair of
often used with off or up
paired off the animals
b
: to cause to be a member of a pair
c
: to arrange a voting pair between
2
: to arrange in pairs
3
: to establish a connection between (a set of networked devices or systems) or from (a networked device or system)
The Windows app will then walk you through a few steps to pair your phone and PC.Jared Newman
After the reset, you will need to pair your watch to your phone once more.Andy Walker
But pairing your phone with your car can be a nightmare sometimes. How and whether you can make it work primarily depends on the smartphone's operating system and the vehicle's technical capabilities.Claudius Lüder

intransitive verb

1
: to constitute a member of a pair
a sock that didn't pair
2
a
: to become associated with another
often used with off or up
paired up with an old friend
b
: to become grouped or separated into pairs
often used with off
paired off for the next dance

Examples of pair in a Sentence

Noun He blushed when he saw all three pairs of eyes watching him. She won with a pair of aces. I got my first pair of glasses when I was eight. His two closest friends lived in the city and the pair of them visited him often. The dance is usually performed by a male and female pair. Those two kids make quite a pair. Verb The teacher paired students with partners for the assignment.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
No outfit is complete without a comfortable pair of shoes, and the J.Crew sale section has the perfect styles for every type of traveler. Isis Briones, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2024 The pair confirmed their relationship on social media the following year. Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 16 Mar. 2024 The relationship between a costume designer and a client needs to a unique synergy, something this pair has obtained easily. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 15 Mar. 2024 No shoe collection is complete without a reliable pair of white sneakers, and Brooke Shields just reminded us of a customer-favorite pair. Kayla Blanton, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 With time, the pair grew close, going on to have two children together, Claude and Paloma. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024 Home sellers in Illinois and Missouri alleged in a pair of class-action lawsuits that NAR’s rules artificially inflated commissions by requiring sellers’ agents to make a compensation offer to list on the Multiple Listing Service, a home selling database. Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Our editors tested 26 pairs of compression socks, wearing each pair while sitting for a few hours and again when standing for a few hours. Nsisong Bassey, Verywell Health, 15 Mar. 2024 Police in court records said the pair were taken into custody after video footage in the area that night captured a man walk into the College Avenue Smoke Shop, pull out a handgun and begin shooting Preer while his back was turned. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
His bow tie, over his crisp white button down, paired perfectly with the black satin lapels on his jacket. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 17 Mar. 2024 MacDonald was paired with Kyle Burroughs to start Saturday’s game. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 Brittany paired the accessory with a denim and black strapless top that included a corset illusion created by different patches of denim. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 The fellowship program will pair college students and recent graduates with election workers in a five-month program that will expose the fellows to the intricacies of election management. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2024 On this occasion, Bieber paired the Equator Top and Praia Bottoms in a poppy shade with matching wraparound sunnies by Bru, adding a cowboy hat from Australian label Lack of Colour. Héloïse Salessy, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024 The woven chunky material sits high above the floor for a layered look and pairs well in most rooms, especially in high-traffic areas. Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2024 The concert features the full screening of the 1990 film Home Alone, starring young Macaulay Culkin, on a high-definition screen above the stage paired with John William’s charming film score performed live by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2024 The singer was known for her pure and crisp voice, paired with exceptional songwriting abilities that expressed her views on politics, spirituality, history and philosophy. Jack Guy, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English paire, from Anglo-French, from Latin paria equal things, from neuter plural of par equal

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1578, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pair was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pair

Cite this Entry

“Pair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pair. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pair

1 of 2 noun
ˈpa(ə)r How to pronounce pair (audio)
ˈpe(ə)r
plural pairs also pair
1
: two things that match or are meant to be used together
a pair of hands
a pair of gloves
2
: a thing having two connected matching parts
a pair of scissors
3
: a set of two like or associated things

pair

2 of 2 verb
1
: to make a pair of or arrange in pairs
paired off the animals
2
: to form a pair or pairs
paired off for the next dance
Etymology

Noun

Middle English paire "two things that match or go together," from early French paire (same meaning), from Latin paria "equal things," from par "equal" — related to compare, par, peer, umpire see Word History at umpire

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