plural pairs or pair
1
: two things that are the same and are meant to be used together
a pair of gloves
a pair of shoes/socks
He blushed when he saw all three pairs of eyes watching him.
She won with a pair of aces.
I can't do everything at once—I've only got one pair of hands. [=I am only one person]
It will take two pairs of hands [=two people] to move this rock.
2
: a thing that has two parts which are joined
a pair of scissors
a pair of pants/underwear
I got my first pair of glasses when I was eight.
3
: two people who are related in some way or who do something together
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.
4
: two animals that mate together
To avoid competition, breeding/mating pairs stay away from other male chimpanzees.
A pair of parrots can raise one chick each year.
pairs; paired; pairing
: to put (two people or things) together
The teacher paired students with partners for the assignment.
—often used as (be) pairedWe met when we were paired to work together on the project.
The suit is paired with black shoes for a sophisticated look.
The fish was paired with a white wine.
Cite this Entry
“Pair.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/pair. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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