pear

American  

[pair] / pɛər /

noun

1. the edible fruit, typically rounded but elongated and growing smaller toward the stem, of a tree, Pyrus communis, of the rose family.

2. the tree itself.

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pear British  

/ pɛə /

noun

1. a widely cultivated rosaceous tree, Pyrus communis, having white flowers and edible fruits

2. the sweet gritty-textured juicy fruit of this tree, which has a globular base and tapers towards the apex

3. the wood of this tree, used for making furniture

4. informal to go wrong

   the plan started to go pear-shaped

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Other Word Forms

• pearlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of pear

First recorded before 1000; Middle English pe(e)re, Old English peru, from Late Latin pira, feminine singular use of plural of Latin pirum (neuter) “pear”

Example Sentences

“The Golden Pear Affair” revolves around two identical sisters, a stolen diamond and supporting roles for products from P&G’s Native personal-care line.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

"Sadly, the reality on the ground is that Cambodia's top tourism hotspots are safe -- but the headlines have done damage already," said Hannah Pearson, director of Southeast Asia tourism consultancy Pear Anderson.

From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025

Pear, in the same vein as its botanical cousin, comes in a myriad of varieties, whether that’s the classic Bartlett or Anjou, Bosc and Comice.

From Salon • Nov. 17, 2025

The Wild Pear from Bošáca, Slovakia, is a 150-year-old tree that grew from a stray seed on Lysica Hill.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2025

So he called Pear Blossom and he said to her, “Child, what was it I wanted to say?”

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck