The pear is a tree of genus Pyrus and also the name of the tree's edible pomaceousfruit. The pear is classified within Maloideae, a subfamily within Rosaceae. The apple (Malus ×domestica), which it resembles in floral structure, is also a member of this subfamily.
The English word pear is probably from Common West Germanic *pera, probably a loanword of Vulgar Latin pira, the plural of pirum, akin to Greek api(r)os, which is likely of Semitic origin. The place name Perry can indicate the historical presence of pear trees. The term "pyriform" is sometimes used to describe something which is "pear-shaped".
