Definition & Meaning of "two pair"

What is "two pair"?

Two pair is a poker hand that consists of two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and one unrelated card. For example, a hand with two kings, two eights, and a five is a two pair. It is ranked above one pair but below three of a kind in the standard poker hand rankings. If two players have two pair, the player with the higher pair wins. If both have the same higher pair, the lower pair is compared, and if those are also the same, the fifth card, known as the "kicker," is used to determine the winner.