pear

noun

ˈper 

1

: a pome fruit of a tree (genus Pyrus, especially P. communis) of the rose family that typically has a pale green or brownish skin, a firm juicy flesh, and an oblong shape in which a broad base end tapers upward to a narrow stem end

2

: a tree bearing pears

Examples of pear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Last October, the company also pledged to purchase seven million pounds of apples and pears, or 30% of its produce, according to Inc., through the Equitable Food Initiative, a nonprofit certification program to support farmworkers. —Sydney Cella, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2025

Budget Harry & David’s gift box without the good pears 36. —Vulture Staff, Vulture, 18 Feb. 2025

But the real star of the show was the massive pear diamond from Chopard, which hung down her bare back—a nod to Shirley MacLaine’s character Louisa May Foster in the 1964 film What a Way to Go! —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2025

That would already warrant a warm welcome, but the entire necklace featured more than 2,300 diamonds in pear, brilliant and baguette cuts in a white gold ribbon that frames the neck. —Lily Templeton, WWD, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pere, from Old English peru, from Vulgar Latin *pira, from Latin, plural of pirum

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pear

• alligator pear
• Anjou pear
• Asian pear
• avocado pear
• Bradford callery pear
• Bradford pear
• callery pear
• d'Anjou pear
• go pear-shaped
• pear psylla
• pear-shaped
• prickly pear
• prickly pear cactus
• prickly pear fruit
• vegetable pear

Rhymes for pear

• air
• ayre
• bahr
• bare
• blare
• care
• chair
• claire
• ere
• err
• eyre
• fair

Kids Definition

pear

noun

ˈpa(ə)r 

ˈpe(ə)r

: a fruit that is commonly larger at the end opposite the stem and typically has a pale green or brownish skin and juicy flesh

also : a tree that bears pears and is related to the apple