pear

Meaning

1. An edible fruit produced by the pear tree, similar to an apple but typically elongated towards the stem.
2. A type of fruit tree (Pyrus communis).
3. The wood of the pear tree (pearwood, pear wood).
4. Choke pear (a torture device).
5. avocado, alligator pear
6. A desaturated chartreuse yellow colour, like that of a pear.

Synonyms

pear tree

fruit

pear-tree

European pear

Pyrus communis

Asian pear

seckel

pippin

plum

russet

gourd

seckel pear

Pronounced as (IPA)

/pɛə/

Etymology

From Middle English pere, from Old English pere, from Proto-West Germanic *peru, from Vulgar Latin *pira, originally the plural of Latin pirum but reconstrued as a feminine singular, ultimately a loanword from an unknown Mediterranean substrate source. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Peere (“pear”), Dutch peer (“pear”), Danish pære (“pear”), French poire (“pear”), German Birne (“pear”), Icelandic pera (“pear”), Swedish päron (“pear”).