au pair

[ oh pair ]
/ oʊ ˈpɛər /

noun

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

of, relating to, or employed under such an arrangement: an au pair girl.

Origin of au pair

1965–70; < French, literally, equal, even ( au contraction of à le at the + pair equal (noun); cf. pair), referring to the equal exchange of work for room and board

Words nearby au pair

British Dictionary definitions for au pair

au pair
/ (əʊ ˈpɛə, French o pɛr) /

noun

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

verb

(intr) to work as an au pair

adverb

as an au pair she worked au pair in Greece

Word Origin for au pair

C20: from French: on an equal footing