pith
English
/pɪθ/, /paɪθ/
noun
Definitions
- (botany) The soft, spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees.
- The spongy interior substance of a feather or horn.
- (anatomy) The spinal cord; the marrow.
- (botany) The albedo of a citrus fruit.
- (figuratively) The essential or vital part; force; energy; importance.
- (figuratively) Power, strength, might.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English pith inherited from Old English piþa inherited from Proto-Germanic *piþô.
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*piþô
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- ball English
- pithball English
- pithful English
- pithily English
- pithiness English
- pithless English
- pithlessness English
- pithlike English
- pithsome English
- pithy English
- unpithy English
- pee Dutch, Flemish
- peen Dutch, Flemish
- winterpeen Dutch, Flemish
- *piþô Proto-Germanic
- piþa Old English
- pith Middle English