How to pronounce persimmon
Say it like per-SIM-un. Persimmon has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SIM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce persimmon. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- per
- SIM
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Persimmon pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- perKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- SIMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of persimmon
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: pur-SIM-un.
What does persimmon mean?
- The orange fruit of any of various species of trees in the genus Diospyros, especially Diospyros kaki (the kaki or Japanese persimmon) or Diospyros virginiana (the wild American persimmon), which is sweet when ripe and astringent when immature.
- The tree this fruit grows on, generally one of two species of ebony: Diospyros kaki (Asian) or Diospyros virginiana (North American).
Where does persimmon come from?
From Powhatan pichamins, pushemins, pasimenan (“dried fruit”), for the first element, compare Proto-Algonquian *paᐧʔsamwa (“dry”).
Questions about saying persimmon
How do you pronounce persimmon?
Say per-SIM-un. The American pronunciation is /pərˈsɪmən/. In British English it is /pɜːˈsɪmən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in persimmon?
Persimmon has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SIM). Broken into parts: per · SIM · un.
Is persimmon pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /pɜːˈsɪmən/ (pur-SIM-un).