au pair

/oʊ ˈpɛr/ French Origin General

Original Word

au pair

French

Entered English

20th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "au pair"

From French 'au pair', literally 'on equal terms' or 'at par', referring to a young person who lives with a host family and helps with childcare in exchange for room, board, and a cultural experience. The arrangement is meant to be equal, not exploitative.

Example Usage

"She worked as an au pair in Paris for a year to improve her French."

All French Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

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