níspero

== Spanish == === Etymology === Inherited from Old Spanish niéspero, néspero, from Vulgar Latin *nespirum, from Latin mespilum, borrowed from Ancient Greek μέσπιλον (méspilon), most likely of non-Indo-European origin. For the development of the stressed vowel, compare avispa (from Old Spanish biespa) and víspera (from Old Spanish viésperas). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈnispeɾo/ [ˈnis.pe.ɾo] Rhymes: -ispeɾo Syllabification: nís‧pe‧ro === Noun === níspero m (plural nísperos) medlar (Mespilus germanica, now Crataegus germanica) Synonym: níspero europeo loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) Synonym: níspero japonés (Caribbean, Central America, Venezuela) sapodilla (Manilkara zapota and Manilkara huberi) great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) ==== Usage notes ==== The medlar was the original níspero, but is becoming less and less well-known. Even in Spain, where the medlar still grows, the medlar is being replaced by the introduced loquat in most usage. If you want to be sure, the loquat is níspero japonés and the medlar is níspero europeo. ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “níspero”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025