couple

The word “couple” means two people who are in a romantic relationship or married. In plain terms, two of something (especially a romantic pair), or loosely, "a few" of something; as a verb, to link two things together.

“Couple” is pronounced KUHP-uhl (/ˈkʌp.əl/ in IPA).

Here is “couple” used in a sentence: “The couple next door just got engaged.”

Words with a similar meaning to “couple” include pair, attach, put together, espouse and make love.

Depending on how it is used, “couple” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “couple” comes from Latin. From Old French couple, from Latin copula meaning "a bond" or "tie" — the same root that gives us "copula" and "coupling.".

“Couple” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Couple” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: two people who are in a romantic relationship or married.

When referring to people in a relationship, yes — a couple is two partners. But in casual speech, "a couple of" often means a small, loose number rather than precisely two, as in "give me a couple of minutes." Context decides whether it means exactly two or just a few.

A pair is any two matching or connected things, like a pair of shoes. A couple usually means two people in a romantic relationship, or informally two of anything. The key difference is that "couple" carries a sense of partnership, while "pair" simply notes that two things go together.

A married husband and wife are a couple, as are two people dating or engaged. You might say "the couple celebrated their anniversary" or "they make a lovely couple." The word highlights the romantic bond or partnership between the two people rather than just their number.

It can be either. When you think of the two people as a single unit, use a singular verb: "the couple is moving house." When you focus on them as two individuals, a plural verb feels natural: "the couple are arguing." British English tends to favor the plural.