pur

Pur is a term that may refer to several distinct things, depending on context. In language and geography, pur is often traced to the Sanskrit pura, meaning city or fortress. The element pura or pur appears in numerous South Asian place names, where it signals historical urban settlements; in many cases, it is preserved in local spellings and transliterations as pur, pura, purā, puri, or puro, depending on language and script. Geographers and historians use the form as a suffix indicating a town or citadel in old inscriptions and modern maps.

In biology and biochemistry, pur is a common prefix in the names of genes and enzymes involved in the de novo synthesis of purine nucleotides. Genes such as purA, purB, purC, and purD code enzymes in the purine biosynthesis pathway, essential for making adenine and guanine. The term helps scientists classify metabolic genes across bacteria, archaea, and some eukaryotes.

As a proper noun, Pur can be a surname or the name of organizations, bands, or places in various countries. Its use as a name or title depends on local language and culture.

Because Pur has diverse meanings, its interpretation relies on context, and the word should be read alongside clarifying information when encountered.