pear: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral, everyday
Quick answer
What does “pear” mean?
A sweet, juicy fruit with a rounded body that tapers towards the stem, typically green, yellow, or brown.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sweet, juicy fruit with a rounded body that tapers towards the stem, typically green, yellow, or brown.
The tree (Pyrus communis) that bears this fruit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Minor spelling differences may appear in related terms (e.g., 'pear-shaped' vs. 'pear shaped' in compound adjectives).
Connotations
The idiom 'go pear-shaped' (to go wrong) is more common in British English than in American English.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties as a basic food term.
Grammar
How to Use “pear” in a Sentence
[countable noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pear” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The room had a pear-shaped design.
American English
- She preferred the pear-shaped silhouette.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in agricultural, import/export, and retail contexts (e.g., 'The pear harvest was strong this year').
Academic
Appears in botanical, agricultural, and nutritional studies.
Everyday
Common in shopping, cooking, and general conversation about food.
Technical
Used in horticulture with specific cultivar names (e.g., 'Conference', 'Comice').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pear”
- Spelling confusion: 'pair' vs. 'pear'.
- Using 'pear' as an uncountable noun (e.g., 'I ate some pear' instead of 'I ate a pear' or 'I ate some pear slices').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily a countable noun (e.g., three pears). It can become uncountable when referring to the substance (e.g., 'This jam contains pear'), but this is less common.
'Pear' is a fruit. 'Pair' refers to two matching items (e.g., a pair of shoes). They are homophones but have completely different meanings and spellings.
It is a British idiom meaning for a plan or situation to go wrong or fail.
In British English, it is /pɛː/ (with a long vowel). In American English, it is /pɛr/ (with an 'r' sound at the end).
A sweet, juicy fruit with a rounded body that tapers towards the stem, typically green, yellow, or brown.
Pear is usually neutral, everyday in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “go pear-shaped (BrE)”
- “the apple of one's eye (contrasting idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A PEAR is shaped like a tear, and you might shed a tear if you drop a perfect, ripe one.
Conceptual Metaphor
PEAR-SHAPED as a metaphor for something that has gone wrong or failed.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is an idiom primarily used in British English?