Meaning

The soft, spongy substance inside plant parts; specifically, the parenchyma in the centre of the roots and stems of many plants and trees..

Definitions by Sense

1. The soft, spongy substance inside plant parts; specifically, the parenchyma in the centre of the roots and stems of many plants and trees.
2. The albedo (“whitish inner portion of the rind”) of a citrus fruit.
3. Senses relating to humans and animals.
4. The soft inner portion of a loaf of bread.
5. The central or innermost part of something; the core, the heart.
6. The essential or vital part of something; the essence.
7. Physical power or strength; force, might.
8. A quality of courage and endurance; backbone, mettle, spine.

Example Sentences

This ſvveete ſmelling Reede is of a darke dun colour, full of ioints and knees eaſie to be broken into ſmall ſplinters, hollovv and full of a certaine vvhite pith, cobvveb vviſe, ſomevvhat gummie in eating, and hanging in the teeth, and of a ſharpe bitter taſte.

Some make inciſion into the very Vine braunch, as farre as to the pith and marrovv vvithin (to divert the moiſture that feedeth the grape:) others lay the cluſters a drying upon tile-houſes: and all this is done vvith the grapes of the Vine Helvenaca.

Atop the [Palmito] tree is a pith, in taſte better then Cabbage; and eating it takes avvay the future benefit of grovvth or fructifying, theſe and the Date-tree thriue not, except the male and female be vnited, and haue copulation: the ſhe is only fruitfull.

VVhy are the Annual Grovvths of all both Herbs and Trees, vvith great Piths, the quickeſt and longeſt? But hovv are the Pores and Bladders of the Pith permeable? That they are ſo, both from their being capable of a repletion vvith Sap, and of being again vvholly emptied of it, and again, inſtead thereof fill'd vvith Aer, is as certain as that they are Pores.

The food often grows in one country, and the sauce in another. The fruits of Portugal are corrected by the products of Barbadoes, and the infusion of a China plant is sweetened by the pith of an Indian cane.

The berrie Coccum Gnidium, in colour reſembleth the Scarlet graine; in quantitie a pepper corne, but that it is bigger: of an ardent and cauſticke qualitie it is, and therefore they uſe to lap it in the ſoft crum or pith of a loafe of bread, and ſo ſvvallovv it, for feare it ſhould burne the throat as it paſſeth dovvn.

Buck Mulligan slit a steaming scone in two and plastered butter over its smoking pith. He bit off a soft piece hungrily.

In these days folk still believed in witches and trembled at a curse; and this one, falling so pat, like a wayside omen, to arrest me ere I carried out my purpose, took the pith out of my legs.

Word Forms

• piths
• pithing
• pithed
• pi-th

Synonyms for pith

Related Words

When Should You Use Pith?

Use pith when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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