Word Frequency
pith (pɪθ
)
Definitions
noun
- the soft fibrous tissue lining the inside of the rind in fruits such as the orange and grapefruit
- the essential or important part, point, etc
- weight; substance
- Also called: medulla (botany) the central core of unspecialized cells surrounded by conducting tissue in stems
- the soft central part of a bone, feather, etc
verb
- to destroy the brain and spinal cord of (a laboratory animal) by piercing or severing
- to kill (animals) by severing the spinal cord
- to remove the pith from (a plant)
Word Origin
Old English pitha; compare Middle Low German pedik, Middle Dutch pitt( e)Synonyms
View thesaurus entryExample Sentences Including 'pith'
At best or worst, leader's just taking the pith - Latham's tax planThe Australian (2004)
For two people, take 4 clementines, peel and remove all the pith (the bitter white stuff).Times, Sunday Times (2005)
I told her she was wrong," Alma said, lunging at the table to scrape up the pith and splitting her fingernails.Lost Children
Once ye have the pith of it there's nothing amiss in the tale at all.What the Bee Knows - reflections on myth, symbol and story
Only the outside of the log and the low-quality ` pith " at its centre are wasted.New Scientist (1998)
Paul was picking the skin off an orange, throwing the pith on the table, as usual.Lost Children
The pawpaw didn't hold out both hands and I took the grapefruit, which had more pith on it than an Oscar Wilde aphorism.INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS (2002)
Then pulp everything -- pith , peel and all -- in a food processor, or see below if you're proceeding by hand.Times, Sunday Times (2004)
Sponsored Links
Log in to comment on this word.
Comments