pair

pair · noun, verb¹

1. Latin · derived fromparia“equals”
2. Old French · derived frompaire
3. Middle English · inherited frompaire
4. English todaypair

From Middle English paire, from Old French paire, from Latin paria (“equals”), neuter plural of par (“pair”). Related to pār (“equal”, adjective). Compare Saterland Frisian Poor (“pair”), West Frisian pear (“pair”), Dutch paar (“pair”), German Paar (“pair”), Italian paio (“pair”)

pair · verb²

1. Late Latin · derived frompeiōrō
2. Old French · derived fromempeirier
3. Middle English · inherited frompairen
4. English todaypair

From Middle English pairen, peiren, shortened form of apeiren, empeiren, from Old French empeirier, empoirier, from Late Latin peiōrō.

Pair · proper noun³

From the German surname, probably a variant of Baer, from the noun Bär (“bear”).

Words from the same roots