The jargonelle pear is named after a gemstone, not gibberish — it traces to Persian zargun (gold-colored), making it an etymological cousin of the element zirconium.
An early-ripening variety of pear with a slightly elongated shape and a distinctive musky flavor.
From French jargonelle, diminutive of jargon, here used in an obsolete sense meaning a type of translucent gemstone (probably zircon), the pear being named for its yellowish, gem-like appearance. The gemstone sense of jargon comes from Old French jargon (chattering, also a gem), from Arabic zarqūn (gold-colored), ultimately from Persian zargun (gold-colored, golden). Key roots: zargun (Persian: "gold
The jargonelle pear takes its name not from jargon meaning "specialized language" but from an entirely different word jargon meaning a type of yellowish gemstone (a form of zircon). The pear was compared to this translucent golden gem for its lustrous yellow-green skin. The gemstone word jargon ultimately traces to Persian zargun (gold-colored