persimmon

noun

per·​sim·​mon pər-ˈsi-mən How to pronounce persimmon (audio)
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 The talc-free formula uses a combination of tapioca starch and Japanese persimmon powder to gently absorb oil and leave your hair looking oh so fresh. Clare Holden, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024 In 2022, the group asked officials to use a persimmon tree to predict the weather, per PETA's website. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024 In other years, PETA has advocated that the animal be replaced with a persimmon tree and an animatronic groundhog equipped with artificial intelligence. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024 The seasonal menu currently features persimmon salad with burrata. Laura Ness, The Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2024 Lauper, meanwhile, a standout with her persimmon and banana-yellow hair, stunned the group into awed silence with her bulldozer of a voice. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2024 Finish pruning and spraying deciduous fruit trees like peaches, pluots, apples, pears, persimmon, etc. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2024 Since at least the Qing dynasty, Chinese parents would place fruits like mandarin oranges, lychees, dates, or persimmons beside the pillows of their children, along with red envelopes containing money under the pillow, to ward off folkloric monsters. TIME, 2 Feb. 2024 That delightful, familiar tang of yuzu coupled with an unmistakable splash of persimmon will surely satisfy your sweet tooth. Nate Odenkirk, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'persimmon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian pessemmin

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of persimmon was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near persimmon

Cite this Entry

“Persimmon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persimmon. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

persimmon

noun
per·​sim·​mon pər-ˈsim-ən How to pronounce persimmon (audio)
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 How to pronounce persimmon (audio)
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

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