persimmon

noun

per·sim·mon | \pər-ˈsi-mən

Definition of persimmon

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

Webworms are forming in the crotches of pecan, walnut and persimmon branches. — Neil Sperry, star-telegram, "The tough half of the gardening marathon is ahead. Here's how to finish strong," 6 July 2018 To borrow from golf: The instep of the foot is the equivalent of the modern 460cc toaster-on-a-stick compared with the old persimmon driver represented by Moseley’s three-and-a-half-inch, straight-front Nike Boomer cleat. — Michael Farber, SI.com, "Mark Moseley, Last of the Straight-On Kickers," 2 July 2018 While she had likely dined in dumpsters before her relocation to Washington, D.C., Rebecca’s diet in the White House consisted of chicken, eggs, green shrimp, persimmons and cream. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "For His Patriotic Birthday, Five Facts About Calvin Coolidge," 2 July 2018 The liqueur puts Indiana persimmons front and center while adding traditional bittering agents like rhubarb root and bitter orange peel, with cardamom and spearmint offering added complexity. — Kenney Marlatt, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago spirit-maker Apologue delivers Midwestern flavors to cocktails," 30 May 2018 Chocolate persimmon: The name comes from the color, not the taste, of the chocolate-brown flesh inside this slightly squatty, oblong fruit. — Houston Chronicle, "Urban Havest's sale is the place gardeners find fruit trees for the Houston area," 5 Jan. 2018 The farmer-finders, all brothers from the Yang family, had been digging for water to feed their pomegranate and persimmon trees. — The Economist, "Zhao Kangmin died on May 16th," 7 June 2018 At the bar, Juleps are made with sweet tea syrup and persimmon. — Houston Chronicle, "Austin, Waco, New Orleans and more: An easy guide to easy getaways from Houston," 10 May 2018 Choose a native persimmon tree that doesn’t need spraying and pruning, for example, instead of a high-upkeep peach tree. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "How To Create A Permaculture Garden That Supports Your Local Ecosystem," 1 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'persimmon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of persimmon was in 1612

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More Definitions for persimmon

persimmon

noun

English Language Learners Definition of persimmon

: a small, round, orange fruit

See the full definition for persimmon in the English Language Learners Dictionary

persimmon

noun

per·sim·mon | \pər-ˈsi-mən

Kids Definition of persimmon

: an orange roundish sweet fruit that grows on a tree of the southeastern United States and Asia and may be very sour when unripe

persimmon

noun

per·sim·mon | \pər-ˈsim-ən

Medical Definition of persimmon

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