Asimina

Origin

From an word *assimin or *rassimin (the second element of which is -min, "berry, fruit"), via Cajun French assiminier.

1902, Journal of American Folklore, volume 15

Full definition of asimina

Noun

1. (US, dated) The pawpaw (Asimina triloba), a fruit-bearing plant.
• 1838, John Claudius Loudon, Arboretum et fruticetum Britannicum; or, The trees and shrubs of Britain, volume 1, page 79:... but it still contains an excellent collection, some fine specimens of magnolias, asiminas, crataegusus, ... and other foreign trees and shrubs, and is conducted with the greatest liberality.
• 1911, Liberty Hyde Bailey, Sketch of the evolution of our native fruits, page 443:Of the asiminas, or so-called pawpaws, — which are also anonaceous plants, — there are several species in the United States.