Preferred term

Pear

Definition

Middle English pere, from Old English peru, from Vulgar Latin *pira, from Latin, plural of pirum. 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. This tree is very popular in Europe and mainly used indoors. Although it is native to central and eastern Europe, it is nowadays commonly found in temperate zones all over the world. It is not very durable, hard and tough, but easy to work with. It is suitable for notching, shaping and lathing. It has been very common in local furniture structures since the Baroque period and also in mirrors. It is used for the manufacture of bowls, brush handles, drawing instruments and cabinets.