persimmon

noun

per·​sim·​mon pər-ˈsi-mən 

1

: any of a genus (Diospyros) of trees of the ebony family with hard fine wood, oblong leaves, and small bell-shaped flowers

especially : an eastern U.S. tree (D. virginiana) or a Japanese tree (D. kaki)

2

: the usually orange several-seeded globular berry of a persimmon that is edible when fully ripe but usually extremely astringent when unripe

Examples of persimmon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tall branches of persimmons filled an enormous cobalt-blue fishbowl on a rosewood pedestal. — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026

Violently hot summers have sucked peach, pear, persimmon, and other trees dry. — Angelica Calabrese, Longreads, 7 July 2026

As a result, spruce, pumpkin and persimmon beer became common in the early colonies. — Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 2 July 2026

An outdoor side table in the same periwinkle blue as your kitchen island cabinetry, or persimmon pillows in an outdoor fabric that picks up a tone from your dining room drapes, can create continuity between indoor and outdoor zones. — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian pessemmin

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for persimmon

• saleswomen
• countrywomen
• englishwomen
• gentlewomen
• washerwomen
• crimen
• imine
• thymine
• women

Kids Definition

persimmon

noun

per·​sim·​mon pər-ˈsim-ən 

1

: any of a genus of trees with hard fine wood, oblong leaves, and small bell-shaped white flowers

2

: the usually orange fruit of a persimmon that resembles a plum and is edible when fully ripe but usually very bitter when unripe

Medical Definition

persimmon

noun

per·​sim·​mon pər-ˈsim-ən 

1

: any tree or shrub of the genus Diospyros

especially : one (D. virginiana) of the eastern United States whose bark has been used as an astringent

2

: the usually orange globular berry of a persimmon that is edible when fully ripe but usually extremely astringent when unripe