pith

== English == === Etymology 1 === The noun is derived from Middle English pith, pithe (“soft interior; pith, pulp”) [and other forms], from Old English piþa [and other forms], from Proto-Germanic *piþô, from earlier *piþō (oblique *pittan); further etymology unknown. Doublet of pit (“seed or stone inside a fruit”). The verb Middle English pethen (“to give courage or strength”), derived from the noun pith (noun), did not survive into modern English. ==== Pronunciation ==== (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /pɪθ/ Rhymes: -ɪθ ==== Noun ==== pith (usually uncountable, plural piths) (botany) The soft, spongy substance inside plant parts; specifically, the parenchyma in the centre of the roots and stems of many plants and trees. Synonyms: (archaic) marrow, medulla The albedo (“whitish inner portion of the rind”) of a citrus fruit. (by extension) Senses relating to humans and animals. The soft tissue inside a human or animal body or one of their organs; specifically, the spongy interior substance of a horn or the shaft of a feather. (feather): Synonym: medulla Chiefly of animals: the soft tissue inside a spinal cord; the spinal marrow; also, the spinal cord itself. Synonym: medulla (obsolete) Synonym of diploe (“the thin layer of soft, spongy, or cancellate tissue between the bone plates which constitute the skull”). (obsolete, rare) The soft tissue of the brain. (Ireland, Southern England, West Country) The soft inner portion of a loaf of bread. (figurative) The central or innermost part of something; the core, the heart. Synonyms: kernel, marrow The essential or vital part of something; the essence. Synonyms: crux, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, kernel, marrow, meat, (obsolete) medulla, nitty-gritty, nub, quintessence, soul, spirit, substance; see also Thesaurus:gist Physical power or strength; force, might. A quality of courage and endurance; backbone, mettle, spine. The energy, force, or power of speech or writing; specifically, such force or power due to conciseness; punch, punchiness. Chiefly in of (great) pith and moment: gravity, importance, substance, weight. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== pith (third-person singular simple present piths, present participle pithing, simple past and past participle pithed) (transitive) To render insensate or kill (an animal, especially cattle or a laboratory animal) by cutting, piercing, or otherwise destroying the spinal cord. [from early 19th c.] To extract the pith from (something or (figurative) someone). ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From pi (“constant representing the ratio of the circumference of a Euclidean circle to its diameter”) +‎ -th (suffix forming ordinal numerals). ==== Alternative forms ==== pi-th ==== Pronunciation ==== (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /paɪθ/ Rhymes: -aɪθ ==== Adjective ==== pith (not comparable) (mathematics) The ordinal form of the number pi (π; approximately 3.14159…). ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== pith (plural piths) (mathematics) One divided by pi, that is, 1 π {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{\pi }}} (approximately 0.31831…). ===== Translations ===== === References === === Further reading === pith on Wikipedia.Wikipedia pithing on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Anagrams === phit == Middle English == === Alternative forms === pithe, piþ, piþþe, pyþe, peþe, pyth, pythe === Etymology === From Old English piþa, from Proto-Germanic *piþô. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈpiθ(ə)/, /ˈpið(ə)/, /ˈpeːθ(ə)/ === Noun === pith (uncountable) The soft interior portion of something, especially: (botany) pith (soft substance in the center of a plant's stem) The pulp (soft innards) of a fruit. (figuratively) The essential or vital part; importance. (figuratively) Power, strength, might. ==== Descendants ==== English: pith Scots: pith ==== References ==== “pith(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.