au pair

[ oh pair ]

noun

1. a person, usually a young foreign visitor, employed to take care of children, do housework, etc., in exchange for room and board:

   We sent the children to the beach with the au pair.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or employed under such an arrangement:

   an au pair girl.

au pair

/ əʊ ˈpɛə; o pɛr /

noun

1. 1. a young foreigner, usually a girl, who undertakes housework in exchange for board and lodging, esp in order to learn the language
   2. ( as modifier )

      an au pair girl

2. a young person who lives temporarily with a family abroad in exchange for a reciprocal arrangement with his or her own family

verb

1. intr to work as an au pair

adverb

1. as an au pair

   she worked au pair in Greece

Word History and Origins

Origin of au pair¹

First recorded in 1965–70; from French: literally, “equal, even,” referring to the equal exchange of work for room and board; au contraction of à le “at the” + pair “equal” (noun); à la, pair ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of au pair¹

C20: from French: on an equal footing

Example Sentences

Jason and Molly Corbett met in 2008 when Molly Corbett worked as an au pair, caring for two children from Jason Corbett’s first marriage.

From Seattle Times

"They brought German girls over here to work as au pairs, because the Russians treated them very badly," she says.

From BBC

Lucy Josephine Potter arrives in Manhattan at age 19 from the West Indies to work as an au pair for a wealthy couple and their four kids.

From New York Times

He was then dragged back to his home on Sandmoor Drive where the thieves used duct tape to tie up his wife and daughter and their au pair in an upstairs room.

From BBC

That could include a housekeeper, live-in aide or au pair, he says.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• caregiver
• governess
• housekeeper