OVAL n.
A body or figure in the shape of an egg, or popularly, of an ellipse. Cassinian oval (Geom.), the locus of a point the product of whose distances from two fixed points is constant; -- so called from Cassini, who first investigated the curve. Thus, in the diagram, if P moves so that P A.P B is constant, the point P desc…
PERSIMMON n.
An American tree (Diospyros Virginiana) and its fruit, found from New York southward. The fruit is like a plum in appearance, but is very harsh and astringent until it has been exposed to frost, when it becomes palatable and nutritious. Japanese persimmon, Diospyros Kaki and its red or yellow edible fruit, which outwar…