From Middle English couple, from Old French couple, from Latin cōpula. Doublet of copula.
Meanings
(Canada, US, informal, not-comparable) Two or (a) small number of.
Since we were now living so close, at least those couple hours of talking together helped boost our spirits. 2005, Elaine Bonzelaar, Those First Two Years, page 47:
Apparently, Ann in particular liked these couple pages of the character thing. 2006, Eric Nolen-Weathington, George A. Khoury, Arthur Adams, Modern Masters: Arthur Adams, volume six, page 22:
Put any couple guys in a tricked out car and a couple of bandannas […]" He trailed off. 2005, Deirdre Savoy, Body of Truth, page 179:
From Middle English couple, from Old French couple, from Latin cōpula. Doublet of copula.
Meanings
(Canada, US, colloquial) Two or a few, a small number of.
Q. (Mr. Feldman, atty) You say you lived upstairs? A. (Emma Moore) I lived upstairs. Q. Until when? A. About couple months we lived upstairs. Q. Up until couple months ago? A. No, couple months after we moved in there because the down stairs was not finished. 1922, “Lewis J. Bennett et al vs. Sebastien L. Petrino”, in State of New York Supreme Court Appellate Division - Fourth Department:
A couple fewer people show up every week.
I'll be there in a couple minutes.
[At a pizza parlor] "Couple slices would be great. […] 2011, Elizabeth Eulberg, Prom and Prejudice:
Couple boys from way downcountry come for a summer in the woods. Isaac Cole talked to em. 2007, Jeffrey Lent, Lost Nation, page 182:
From Middle English couple, from Old French couple, from Latin cōpula. Doublet of copula.
Meanings
Two of the same kind connected or considered together.
'Tis in some sort with Friends (Pardon the Coarseness of the illustration) as it is with Dogs in Couples. They should be of the same Size; and Humour; and That which Pleases the One should Please the Other 1692, Roger L'Estrange, Fables, of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists: with Morals and Reflexions, page 64:
A couple of police officers appeared at the door.
[…]couple of tables; one of which bore some preparations for supper; while, on the other […] 1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby:
Two partners in a romantic or sexual relationship.
The number of Souls in the Kingdom being uſually reckon'd one Million and a half, Of theſe I calculate there may be about tvvo hundred thouſand Couple vvhoſe VVives are Breeders, from vvhich Number I Subſtract thirty Thouſand Couples, vvho are able to maintain their ovvn Children, […] 1729, [Jonathan Swift], A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to Their Parents, or the Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick, Dublin: […] S[arah] Harding, […], →OCLC, page 5:
Having a beloved couple (Jim and Pam, Cory and Topanga) exchange vows was once a foolproof way to juice TV ratings. 2026 May 27, Judy Berman, “When Did On-Screen Weddings Get So Bleak?”, in TIME, archived from the original on 28 May 2026:
(informal) A small number.
And no use for anyone to tell Charles that this was because the Family was in mourning for Mr Granville Darracott […]: Charles might only have been second footman at Darracott Place for a couple of months when that disaster occurred, but no one could gammon him into thinking that my lord cared a spangle for his heir. 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
‘Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, and it need not interfere very much with one’s other occupations.’ 1891, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Red-Headed League:
Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’[…].” So I started to back away again into the bushes. But I hadn't backed more'n a couple of yards when I see something so amazing that I couldn't help scooching down behind the bayberries and looking at it. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
When we got on board again after a couple of hours on shore[…] 1902, A. Henry Savage Landor, Across Coveted Lands:
A couple of billiard balls, all mud and dirt, two battered hats, a champagne bottle […] 1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC:
One of the pairs of plates of two metals which compose a voltaic battery, called a voltaic couple or galvanic couple.
A turning effect created by forces that produce a non-zero external torque.
A couple-close.
That which joins or links two things together; a bond or tie; a coupler.
I’ll keep my stables where / I lodge my wife; I’ll go in couples with her; c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
As we passed the deserted mountain-dairy, we must have crossed the fresh track of a hare, because the hounds became rather uneasy in the couples. 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 27:
brace (two things of the same kind) · few (a small number of) · twosome (two partners) · handful (a small number of) · pair
Translations (219)
lb Puer (two partners) · el ζευγάρι (two partners) · sv pol (one of the pair of plates in a voltaic battery) · pl para (two partners) · ar بَعْضُ (a small number of) · hy զույգ (two of the same kind considered together) · ja 電対 (one of the pair of plates in a voltaic battery) · fr paire (two of the same kind considered together) · hrx Casal (two partners) · bg ма́лко (a small number of) · pl dwie (two of the same kind considered together) · sga lánamain (two partners) · ur جُفْت (two partners) · nb par (two partners) · it coppia (two of the same kind considered together) · nl koppel (two partners) · fr couple (two forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, thus creating the turning effect of a torque or moment) · pl paru (a small number of) · ota زوج (two partners) · ja 二つ (two of the same kind considered together) · ko 커플 (two partners) · vi đôi vợ chồng (two partners) · uz juft (two partners) · ka წყვილი (two partners) · ur زَوج (two partners) · lv pāris (a small number of) · sh pȃr (two partners) · et paar (two partners) · ta ஜோடி (two partners) · fr paire (two partners) · sl par (two partners) · mi tōpū (two of the same kind considered together) · ro câțiva (a small number of) · bg по́люс (one of the pair of plates in a voltaic battery) · cmn 一對 /一对 (two partners) · nl koppel (two of the same kind considered together) · pl dwa (two of the same kind considered together) · frm couple (two partners) · ga lánúin (two partners) · cy pâr (two of the same kind considered together) · nl paar (two of the same kind considered together) · eo paro (two of the same kind considered together) · pt poucos (a small number of) · pt casal (two partners) · mn хос (two partners) · hi दंपति (two partners) · sk pár (two partners) · io duo (two partners) · ml ദമ്പതികൾ (two partners) · cmn 伴侶 /伴侣 (two partners) · az cüt (two partners) · ru па́ра (a small number of) · km មិថុន (two partners) · nrf couplle (two partners) · ta சில (a small number of) · de ein paar (a small number of) · mk двојка (two partners) · bg двои́ца (two forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, thus creating the turning effect of a torque or moment) · ta இரட்டை (two partners) · ta தம்பதி (two partners) · izh pariskunta (two partners) · mk пар (two partners) · bg чифт (two of the same kind considered together) · fi pariskunta (two partners) · ps زوج (two partners) · fro couple (two of the same kind considered together) · cmn 幾個 /几个 (a small number of) · cs pár (two of the same kind considered together) · el ζευγάρι (two of the same kind considered together) · ta இரண்டு (two of the same kind considered together) · az cütlük (two of the same kind considered together) · nl koppel (two forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, thus creating the turning effect of a torque or moment) · es un par de (a small number of) · ru чета́ (two partners) · ur جوڑا (two partners) · is par (two partners) · uk па́ра (two partners) · gd dithis (two partners) · km គូ (two partners) · ko 두셋 (a small number of) · fr époux (two partners) · ja 夫婦 (two partners) · it paio (a small number of) · da par (two partners) · got 𐌲𐌰𐌾𐌿𐌺 (two of the same kind considered together) · hy զույգ (two partners) · az cüt (two of the same kind considered together) · fr couple (two partners) · nl stel (two partners) · ro câteva (a small number of) · it paio (two of the same kind considered together) · ja 二、三 (a small number of) · eu bikote (two partners) · hi जोड़ा (two partners) · sv par (two of the same kind considered together) · fa-ira جُفْت (two partners) · ca parella (two partners) · he מְעַט (a small number of) · nl duo (two partners) · pl dwójka (two of the same kind considered together) · gd càraid (two partners) · fi pari (two of the same kind considered together) · ru по́люс (one of the pair of plates in a voltaic battery) · el ζεύγος (two partners) · ja 偶力 (two forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, thus creating the turning effect of a torque or moment) · eo kelkaj... (a small number of) · ja カップル (one of the pair of plates in a voltaic battery) · tr çift (two partners) · cmn 情侣 (two partners) · ky жубай (two partners) · fr deux ou trois... (a small number of) · ru па́ра (two partners) · lo ຄູ່ (two partners) · fi voimapari (two forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, thus creating the turning effect of a torque or moment) · kab abalag (two of the same kind considered together) · hi युगल (two partners) · cy cwpl (a small number of) · it coppia (two partners) · nl tweetal (two of the same kind considered together) · lv pāris (two partners) · sq çift (two partners) · lt pora (two partners) · pl parę (a small number of) · bg дво́йка (two partners) · bg ня́колко (a small number of) · sa मिथुन (two partners) · cs pár (two partners) · vi đôi (two partners) · de Paar (two of the same kind considered together) · km មេថុន (two partners) · ota زوج (two of the same kind considered together) · kk жұбай (two partners) · cy pâr (two partners) · ar زَوْجَانِ (two partners) · he זוּג (two of the same kind considered together) · izh parisikko (two partners) · haw paʻa male (two partners) · nl paar (a small number of) · tg ҷуфт (two partners) · ro pereche (two partners) · uk дво́є (two of the same kind considered together) · hu pár (two partners) · sv ett par (a small number of) · kk жұп (two partners) · hrx Paar (two partners) · ka რამდენიმე (a small number of) · pt dupla (two of the same kind considered together) · de einige (a small number of) · ta சிறிய (a small number of) · ro cuplu (two forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, thus creating the turning effect of a torque or moment) · tg завҷ (two partners) · eo paro (two partners) · sa मिथुन (two of the same kind considered together) · nl koppel (a small number of) · be па́ра (two partners) · es unos (a small number of) · ga cúpla (two of the same kind considered together) · ja カップル (two partners) · cmn 夫妻 (two partners) · my ယမက (two partners) · sa द्वंद्व (two partners) · ja 対 (two partners) · aeb كُوپْلْ (two partners) · he זוּג (two partners) · sv par (two partners) · ko 부부 (two partners) · ja ペア (two partners) · cs pár (a small number of) · io paro (two partners) · az bir-iki (a small number of) · cmn 對 /对 (two of the same kind considered together) · lv pāris (two of the same kind considered together) · ru дво́е (two of the same kind considered together) · prs زَوْج (two partners) · es par de fuerzas (two forces that are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, thus creating the turning effect of a torque or moment) · cmn 一對 /一对 (two of the same kind considered together) · cy cwpl (two partners) · nl paar (two partners) · sa द्वंद्व (two of the same kind considered together) · el ζεύγος (two of the same kind considered together) · ga ordphéire (two of the same kind considered together) · tr azıcık (a small number of) · la par (two of the same kind considered together) · uk па́ра (two of the same kind considered together) · prs جُفْت (two partners) · es pareja (two partners) · frm couple (two of the same kind considered together) · pt alguns (a small number of) · es par (two of the same kind considered together) · ru па́ра (two of the same kind considered together) · ta சிறு (a small number of) · ota چفت (two partners) · cy cwpl (two of the same kind considered together) · fi pari (one of the pair of plates in a voltaic battery) · fa-ira زُوْج (two partners) · ja 一対 (two partners) · ta இணை (two partners) · sl par (two of the same kind considered together) · tk jübüt (two partners) · ta இரு (two of the same kind considered together) · ro pereche (two of the same kind considered together) · fro couple (two partners) · pt par (two of the same kind considered together) · nrf coupl'ye (two partners) · th คู่ (two partners) · cmn 夫婦 /夫妇 (two partners) · de Paar (two partners) · fi pari (two partners) · sh па̑р (two partners) · ro cuplu (two partners) · enm couple (two partners) · ug جۈپ (two partners) · ne जोडी (two partners) · my လင်မယား (two partners) · ga cúpla (a small number of) · ja 二人 (two of the same kind considered together) · fr quelques (a small number of) · ota چفت (two of the same kind considered together) · enm couple (two of the same kind considered together)
From Middle English couple, from Old French couple, from Latin cōpula. Doublet of copula.
Meanings
(transitive) To join (two things) together, or (one thing) to (another).
The familiarly pleasant smell of fried burgers couples with the piquant scent of fishsauce out here among the tables where diners feed like sharks from paper-lined baskets heaped with fries. 2004, Mari Messer, “Invasion of the Red Tide: Death as Prelude”, in Shore Lines: Reflections Beside the Wide Water, York Beach, Me.: Conari Press, →ISBN, pages 67–68:
Now the conductor will couple the train cars.
I've coupled our system to theirs.
Some gritty defence at the death, coupled with some key big moments from individual players at critical times helped secure the win as the All Blacks fought with 14 men for a big chunk of the final after a red card to captain Sam Cane. 2023 October 28, Leighton Koopman, “YES!!! The Springboks beat the All Blacks to win another Rugby World Cup title”, in Independent Online:
(dated, transitive) To join in wedlock; to marry.
I am just going to perform a very good office, it is to assist with the archbishop, in degrading a parson who couples all our beggars 1801, Jonathan Swift, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 14, page 59:
(intransitive) To join in sexual intercourse; to copulate.
On their wedding night they coupled nine times. 1987, Alan Norman Bold, Robert Giddings, Who was really who in fiction, Longman:
She had the brilliant inventor and craftsman Daedalus construct her an artificial cow, in which she hid and induced the bull to couple with her […] 2001, John Fisher, Geoff Garvey, The rough guide to Crete,, page 405:
(transitive) To cause (two animals) to copulate, to bring (two animals) together for mating.
The Parilia was generally considered to be the best time for coupling the rams and the ewes. 1890, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 2, page 328:
(transitive) To enter (multiple horses with the same owner) into a race so that a single bet can be placed on any of them winning.