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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin and Etymology of the word
PAIR.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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PAIR,
two equal or like things, a couple. (F.,—L.) M.E. peire,
peyre, applied to any number of like or equal things, and not limited, as
now, to two only. Thus 'a peire of bedes' = a set of beads,
Chaucer, C. T. 159. 'A pair of cards' = a pack of cards; Ben
Jonson, Masque of Christmas (Carol). 'A pair of organs' = a
set of organ-pipes, i.e. an organ; see my note to P. Plowman, C. xxi.
7. 'A pair of stairs' = a flight of stairs. Yet
we also find 'a peyre hose' = a pair of hose; Rob. of Glouc. p. 390, l.
4.—F. paire, 'a paire, or couple of;' Cot.—F. pair,
'like, alike, equall, matching, even, meet;' Cot.—Lat. parem, acc.
of par, alike. See Par,
Peer. Der. pair,
verb, Wint. Ta. iv. 4. 154. Also um-pire,
q.v.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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