au pair

American  

[oh pair] / oʊ ˈpɛər /

noun

au pairs plural

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.

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adjective

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

   an au pair girl.

au pair British  

/ 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

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verb

1. (intr) to work as an au pair

adverb

1. as an au pair

   she worked au pair in Greece

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• au pairs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of au pair

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); cf. à la, pair ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

In Portland, they had a gardener, a housecleaner and an au pair.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

The second level features “a second primary suite, au pair suite with kitchenette and private entry, and additional en suites,” according to the listing.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 14, 2025

As a teenager she worked as an au pair in India, and later lived in Hong Kong and Gibraltar with her husband Norman, a lieutenant colonel in the army.

From BBC • Aug. 21, 2025

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 • Jun. 6, 2024

Branwell must have been up all night trying to think of ways to stop her from getting another job as an au pair.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

• caregiver
• governess
• housekeeper