au pair

Borrowed from French être au pair.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əʊ ˈpɛə/

au pair (plural au pairs)

1. A single girl (or, rarely, a boy) who helps a host family with childcare, housework, or both while staying as a guest with a host family and generally receiving a small allowance (or pocket money).

• nursemaid

• IPA^(key): /o pɛʁ/

au pair (invariable)

1. working for food and housing
   • 1840, Honoré de Balzac, Pierrette

     Sylvie Rogron fut envoyée à cent écus de pension en apprentissage rue Saint-Denis, chez des négociants nés à Provins. Deux ans après, elle était au pair : si elle ne gagnait rien, ses parents ne payaient plus rien pour son logis et sa nourriture. Voilà ce qu’on appelle être au pair, rue Saint-Denis.

     Sylvie Rogron was sent (with six hundred francs for her board) as apprentice to certain shopkeepers originally from Provins and now settled in Paris in the rue Saint-Denis. Two years later she was "at par" as they say; she earned her own living; at any rate her parents paid nothing for her. That is what is called being "at par" in the rue Saint-Denis.

• fille au pair

au pair f (plural au pairs)

1. au pair (person helping a host family with childcare or housework)