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

Persimmon Part orange, part red, persimmon is a shade that can brighten up any space. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 19 Jan. 2026

Some fruit trees with taproots, including pawpaws, citrus trees, and persimmons, may struggle when grown from bare-root plants, but are much easier to grow from potted ones. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Jan. 2026

We’d harvest persimmons, figs, and pomegranates from our orchard. —David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 10 Jan. 2026

Haney sat down with us to chat about her new book, her love for Indiana persimmons, and the story behind the name of her shop. —Natalie Mechem, Midwest Living, 31 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