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

There’s a raw bar, so starters include stone crab claws and crudo as well as wagyu carpaccio with persimmon and arugula. —Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025

There are persimmons dotting the base of the vase, which are found all over Los Angeles (including my mom’s backyard), and not coincidentally, in my favorite vinegar from Flamingo Estate. —Shanna Shipin, Allure, 17 Dec. 2025

Pomegranate seeds have more fiber than a persimmon, while pomegranate juice has less fiber. —Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 15 Dec. 2025

Videos of bears rummaging through supermarket aisles, roaming school grounds and plucking persimmons from suburban backyards have gone viral on Japanese social media. —Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025

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
• 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