common persimmon
common persimmon Lexical Profile
• noun
North American The round, pale orange fruit of the common persimmon tree, notoriously astringent when unripe but very sweet and soft once fully matured.
"After the first deep frost of autumn, the common persimmon becomes sweet enough to use in traditional puddings and pies."
North American A deciduous tree native to the eastern and midwestern United States, characterized by its deeply furrowed dark bark and very hard wood.
"The wood of the common persimmon is exceptionally dense and was traditionally used to make the heads of golf clubs."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term 'common persimmon' specifically designates the native North American species (Diospyros virginiana), distinguishing it from the commercially prominent Japanese persimmon.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'common' (widespread) and 'persimmon', the latter deriving from the Powhatan word 'pichamins' or 'pushemine', referring to a dried fruit.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.