Dictionary

au pair en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /əʊ ˈpɛə/ (UK)
• /oʊ ˈpɛ(ə)ɹ/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from French au pair.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) On a working basis by which work done by one party is rewarded by benefits (especially board and lodging) rather than by monetary remuneration.
   • Several thousand girls now come over from the continent to live for six months au pair with British families to learn English—and to perform ‘light domestic duties’. 1958 March 29, The Economist:
   • ‘I shall try to get a position au pair to pay my expenses.’ 1973, Christina Stead, The Little Hotel, Text Classics, published 2016, page 84:

au pair en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /əʊ ˈpɛə/ (UK)
• /oʊ ˈpɛ(ə)ɹ/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from French au pair.

Meanings

1. (archaic) An au pair working arrangement (see Adverb).
2. A person (especially a young woman) working in such a way; now specifically, a foreign worker who helps a host family with childcare, housework, or both while staying as a guest with a host family, and generally receives a small allowance (or pocket money).
   • H-2B visas are for unskilled seasonal workers, including landscapers, forestry workers and summer resort workers, while J-1s are for exchange visitors who come for short stays, typically for summer work, brief internships or to be au pairs. 2020 June 26, Susan Cohen and Jennifer Hunt, “By blocking visas for foreign workers, Trump is further hurting the US economy”, in CNN:

Forms

Relateds

nursemaid

Translations (28)

cmn 互惠生 (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · sv au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · pt au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ko 오페어 (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · es au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · is húshjálp (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ja オーペア (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · cmn 保姆 (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ru о-пе́р (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ru о-пэ́р (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · fi au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · fr garçon au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ru о-пе́р (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · da au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · it au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · fr fille au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · no au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · de Au-pair-Mädchen (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ja オペア (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · pl au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · de Au-pair-Junge (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ca au-pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · de Au-pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ru помо́щница по хозя́йству (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · gd daltag (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · nl au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · fr jeune au pair (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family) · ru ня́ня (single girl or boy staying as a guest with a host family)