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

Perhaps serendipitously, the top-selling scent Nana, infused with the sweet snack persimmon, is based on the woman herself. —Gemma A. Williams, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025

Eat fresh persimmons to taste their maximum flavor. —Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Health, 17 Sep. 2024

You’s Living Cleansing Balm, which has an invigorating scent of persimmon and a cushiony, lightweight formula that won’t leave a greasy film behind (making this great for acne-prone or oily skin types). —Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 12 Feb. 2025

The clean formula utilizes tapioca starch to absorb oil, persimmon extract for a pleasant scent, and tsubaki seed oil for hydration. —Izzy Baskette, People.com, 22 May 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