pear

[pair]

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.

pear

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• pearlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pear¹

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pear¹

Old English pere, ultimately from Latin pirum

Example Sentences

Over the next month on The Bite, Salon’s food newsletter, I’ll share four recipes that celebrate autumn produce — apples, pumpkin, pears and figs — each designed for weeknights, with store-bought shortcuts where they make sense.

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After six seasons, five Christmas specials, three movies and a partridge in a pear tree, this is the end, until the next time writer and creator Julian Fellowes is struck with inspiration.

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Its translucent-white flesh — which is soft yet has a bite to it — tastes mystifying: floral with notes of rose, pear and strawberry.

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Prix-fixe dishes change every three months, but feature magazine-worthy creations like The Bees’ Nest, made with toasted honey, Franco-Suisse meringue, vanilla pear, apple compote and whipped honey ganache — each paired with a beverage.

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"Ironically, many of these street trees were replaced by other introduced invasive species such as Norway maple or callery pear," she said, "which in turn have their own impacts."

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