One syllable: Pears.
perz
/pɛɹz/
Pears is pronounced perz (/pɛɹz/). It has one syllable (Pears), with the stress on "Pears". Pears is a plural noun referring to the edible fruit of the pear tree. The word denotes multiple pear fruits, typically consumed fresh or used in cooking. In everyday speech, it often appears in lists or discussions of fruit, flavors, or produce. Related forms include pear (singular) and pear-shaped in some idioms.
nounPears is a plural noun referring to the edible fruit of the pear tree. The word denotes multiple pear fruits, typically consumed fresh or used in cooking. In everyday speech, it often appears in lists or discussions of fruit, flavors, or produce. Related forms include pear (singular) and pear-shaped in some idioms.
"I bought three pears at the market this morning."
"The pears ripened overnight and became very juicy."
"She layered sliced pears over yogurt for a healthy breakfast."
US/UK/AU pronunciation is /pɛːz/ or /pɛrz/ depending on accent and rhoticity. In careful speech you’ll hear a tense mid-front vowel before an unvoiced s-like end sound. Start with the lips relaxed, jaw slightly dropped, then transition from an open-mid front vowel to a final z-like sibilant if your dialect leans rhotic. Listen for the subtle vowel length in non-rhotic varieties. Audio reference: try Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries’ speaker clips for /pɛəz/ or /pɛz/ variants.
Common errors include pronouncing it as /pɪrz/ or /pɑrz/ by using the wrong vowel. Also, some speakers add an unnecessary vowel after the s, producing /pɜːrzɪ/ or /pɪərz/. The correct target is a single syllable with a mid-front tense vowel and a clear /z/ or /z/ voice. Focus on maintaining a short, clipped nucleus and not inserting an extra vowel sound before the final voiced sibilant.
In US English, /pɛrz/ tends to be rhotic with a clear /r/ coloring before the final /z/. UK English often renders it as /peəz/ or /peəz/ with a reduced r sound in non-rhotic accents, and the vowel is a tense front vowel. Australian speech commonly approximates /peəz/ or /pɛəz/ with a more centralized ending and less pronounced r in non-rhotic varieties. All rely on a single syllable, but vowel quality and rhoticity influence the overall vowel duration and timbre.
The difficulty lies in coordinating a tense mid-front vowel with a sharp, voiceless to voiced consonant transition into /z/. For some speakers, the final /z/ blends with the preceding vowel, creating a vowel-like “z” or a longer sibilant; others may insert an extra vowel. Paying attention to mouth position—slightly spread lips, minimal jaw drop, and crisp final /z/—helps reduce these substitutions and yields a precise, quick single-syllable pronunciation.
In rapid connected speech, especially in American English, the vowel in pears can be slightly reduced before a following word starting with a consonant, particularly in casual speech, but it should not become a full schwa. Expect a brief, laxed mid-front vowel rather than a full /ɛ/ duration. Clear articulation of the final /z/ remains essential to avoid sounding like “pairs-ed.”
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The word pear comes from Old English pere, from Proto-Germanic *pera- (cf. Old High German pera, Dutch peer), ultimately of uncertain origin. The plural form pears arose to differentiate the plural noun from the verb pair, and to align with other common garden fruits in Middle English. The fruit’s name has cognates across Germanic languages, reflecting a shared agricultural lexicon. The earliest English attestations referring to the fruit date from the medieval period, with evolving spellings such as pere, perewe, and pearre. Over time, the spelling stabilized to pear in singular and pears in plural. The term has also entered idiomatic usage, including phrases like “pear-shaped,” which diverged semantically from the fruit to describe forms or outcomes, notably in British English. The cultural significance of pears spans cuisine, symbolism, and horticulture, reinforcing its place as a staple fruit in many English-speaking regions.
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Help others use "Pears" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Pears" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Pears" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Pears"
-ars sounds
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