pith

1 of 2

noun

ˈpith 

1

a

: a usually continuous central strand of spongy tissue in the stems of most vascular plants that probably functions chiefly in storage

b

: any of various loose spongy plant tissues that resemble true pith

c

: the soft or spongy interior of a part of the body

2

a

: the essential part : core

b

: substantial quality (as of meaning)

3

: importance

pith

2 of 2

verb

pithed; pithing; piths

transitive verb

1

a

: to kill (an animal) by piercing or severing the spinal cord

pith cattle

b

: to destroy the spinal cord or central nervous system of (an animal, such as a frog) usually by passing a wire or needle up and down the spinal canal

2

: to remove the pith from (a plant stem)

Synonyms

Noun

• bottom line
• bull's-eye
• centerpiece
• core
• crux
• essence
• gist
• heart
• kernel
• keynote
• meat
• meat and potatoes
• net
• nub
• nubbin
• nucleus
• pivot
• point
• root
• sum

Examples of pith in a Sentence

Noun

finally got to the pith of the discussion

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Remove pith: While removing the seeds, the pith may come along. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 10 Dec. 2024

Iconic stories from the likes of Fred Bear have been told and retold, but much of the pith gets lost over time — and our heroes become more myth than human. —Fred Bear, Outdoor Life, 6 Apr. 2022

Cut away peel and pith of citrus and slice flesh into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, then cut rounds in half. Make salad dressing: Whisk together orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl until combined. —Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 13 Dec. 2024

The pith can be bitter, so some people don’t like the taste. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English pitha; akin to Middle Dutch & Middle Low German pit pith, pit

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing pith

• pith helmet
• pith ray

Kids Definition

pith

noun

ˈpith

1

a

: the loose spongy tissue that forms the center of the stem in most plants and probably functions chiefly in storage

b

: the spongy inside of a bone or feather

2

: the essential part : core

the pith of the problem

Medical Definition

pith

transitive verb

ˈpith 

1

: to kill (as cattle) by piercing or severing the spinal cord

2

: to destroy the spinal cord or central nervous system of (as a frog) usually by passing a wire or needle up and down the spinal canal