Meaning & use
pyriform
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Meaning
adjectivenot comparabletechnicalspecialist
Having the shape of a pear, with a rounder part that narrows toward one end.
Grammar: Used mainly before a noun: a pyriform fruit, the pyriform lobe. It is not usually used after a verb or with 'very'.
Patterns
- a pyriform shape
- the pyriform lobe
- pyriform fruit
The pear-shaped organ is described in the textbook as pyriform.
Under the microscope, the cells appeared pyriform, wider at one end and tapering at the other.
Botanists use the term pyriform for fruits that are round at the base and narrow toward the tip.
Common combinations
- pyriform shape
- The vase had a pyriform shape, like an upside-down pear.
- pyriform lobe
- The pyriform lobe is part of the brain involved in smell.
- pyriform fruit
- The avocado is a pyriform fruit with a large seed.
- pyriform cells
- These pyriform cells are found in certain plant tissues.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pear-shaped
- Everyday term; use it in general writing, while pyriform is the technical word used in science.
- obovate
- Used in botany for a leaf shape that is wider near the tip; pyriform is more specifically pear-like.
Commonly confused: pyriform or piriform? pyriform or pyriformis?
pyriform vs piriform
A variant spelling of pyriform, especially in anatomy; both mean pear-shaped, but pyriform is the more common spelling.
pyriform vs pyriformis
A Latin-derived name for a muscle (the piriformis); it is a noun, not an adjective meaning 'pear-shaped'.
Practice
The organ was described as pyriform, meaning it was shaped like a ___.
Choose one answer.
Pyriform means pear-shaped, so 'pear' is the correct answer. The other shapes do not match the meaning of pyriform.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pyriform”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.