Pith
/pɪθ/
nounB2
Definition
Pith is the soft, white, spongy tissue found inside the stems of plants or inside some fruits like oranges. It is the central part that helps carry nutrients. In a different meaning, pith refers to the core or most important part of an idea, message, or argument.
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See It in Action
The soft, spongy central tissue in plants or fruits
- •The pith of the celery stalk is soft and easy to remove.
- •Orange pith is often bitter and not eaten.
- •The stem's pith helps transport water inside the plant.
The essential or central part of an idea, argument, or speech
- •The pith of his speech was about honesty and hard work.
- •She summarized the article, focusing on the pith of the argument.
- •To understand the book, you must grasp its pith.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "pith" like "heart" (A1 word), but for plants or ideas—the very center where the main strength or meaning is
- ✓Picture cutting an orange and seeing the white soft part inside, between the skin and the juicy pieces—that's the pith
- ✓It's the feeling when you get the main point of a story quickly, without extra details
- ✓Sounds like "pith" → imagine a small, soft pillow inside a fruit, holding everything together quietly
- ✓In stories, the "pith" is the important message hidden inside long talks or writing
- ✓NOT like "skin" (outside layer), pith is inside and soft
- ✓NOT like "flesh" (the juicy part you eat), pith is the white, spongy part you usually don't eat
- ✓NOT like "summary" (short version), pith is the essential meaning, the core truth of something
Try Other Words
- •Core: the central part of something (Use when referring to the main or central part of objects or ideas)
- •Essence: the most important quality or meaning (Use when focusing on the main meaning or idea)
- •Center: the middle point of something (Use for physical or abstract middle points)
- •Marrow: the soft tissue inside bones (Use in biology contexts, less common for ideas)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix) "pith" is a simple root word
- •Etymology: From Old English "piþa," meaning the soft substance inside plants
- •Historical development: Used since early English to describe plant tissue; later extended metaphorically to mean the essential part of something
- •Modern usage: Common in biology for plant anatomy and in literature or speech to mean the main point or essence
Reflect & Connect
•How can understanding the physical pith of plants help you remember its metaphorical meaning about ideas?
•Can you think of a time when you quickly found the pith of a long story or explanation?
Fill in the blanks
1.The pith of the orange is usually ___ and not eaten because of its ___ taste.
2.When trying to understand a long speech, focus on the pith to find the ___ meaning.
3.Unlike the juicy fruit, the pith is the ___ part inside the peel.
4.To explain clearly, she always tries to get to the pith of the ___ quickly.
5.The celery stalk’s pith is soft, so cooks often ___ it before eating.
6.The pith of his argument was strong, but some details were ___.
7.When reading, you can ignore small details and focus on the pith to understand the ___ idea.