pear

noun

ˈper How to pronounce pear (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But what happens when the season shifts, when the cloying good cheer of—groan—the holiday season comes with its candy stripes and jingle bells and partridges in pear trees? — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026 Currently, Magpie Cafe is offering a dish of pork belly with pears, frisee, pickled onions and a sweet-spicy glaze. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026 Glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, and trehalose provide hydration, while fermented extracts from pear, pomegranate, and barley to complete the ingredient list. — Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2026 The savory vol-au-vent with pear and onion jam, tart tamarind and pecorino cheese is ambitious, but the pastry itself was a bit heavy, the layers not quite flaky enough for the abundant stuffing. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pear

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pear was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing pear

Rhymes for pear

See All Rhymes for pear

Browse Nearby Words

peapod
pear
pear bark beetle
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Cite this Entry

“Pear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pear. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pear

noun
ˈpa(ə)r How to pronounce pear (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on pear

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pear

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