Pith
WordNet
noun
(1) The choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
"The gist of the prosecutor's argument"
"The heart and soul of the Republican Party"
"The nub of the story"
(2) Soft spongelike central cylinder of the stems of most flowering plants
verb
(3) Remove the pith from (a plant)
WiktionaryText
Etymology
Old English piþa, plant pith, gist, from West Germanic pithan-; the verb meaning to kill by cutting or piercing the spinal cord is attested 1805.
Noun
- The soft spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees.
- The essential or vital part of an idea or theory or something else.
- The pith of my idea is truth.
Synonyms
- (essential or necessary part): core, essence, general tenor, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, kernel, marrow, meat, nitty-gritty, nub, quintessence, soul, spirit, stuff, substance
Verb
- To extract the pith from (a plant stem or tree).
- To kill (especially cattle or laboratory animals) by cutting or piercing the spinal cord.