pith

pith (pɪθ)

—n
1.	the soft fibrous tissue lining the inside of the rind in fruits such as the orange and grapefruit
2.	the essential or important part, point, etc
3.	weight; substance
4.	botany Also called: medulla the central core of unspecialized cells surrounded by conducting tissue in stems
5.	the soft central part of a bone, feather, etc

—vb
6.	to destroy the brain and spinal cord of (a laboratory animal) by piercing or severing
7.	to kill (animals) by severing the spinal cord
8.	to remove the pith from (a plant)

[Old English pitha; compare Middle Low German pedik, Middle Dutch pitt(e)]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

pith

O.E. piþa "pith of plants," also "essential part," from W.Gmc. *pithan- (cf. M.Du. pitte, E.Fris. pit), a Low Ger. root of uncertain origin. Figurative sense was in O.E. The verb meaning "to kill by piercing the spinal cord" is from 1805. Pith helmet (1889, earlier pith hat, 1884) so called because

it is made from the dried pith of the Bengal spongewood.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

pith (pĭth)
n.

The soft inner substance of a hair.
Spinal cord or bone marrow. No longer in technical use.

v. pithed, pith·ing, piths
To sever or destroy the spinal cord of a vertebrate animal, usually by means of a needle inserted into the vertebral canal.

American Heritage

Science Dictionary

pith

  (pĭth) Pronunciation Key
Noun   The soft, spongy tissue in the center of the stems of most flowering plants, gymnosperms, and ferns. Pith is composed of parenchyma cells. In plants that undergo secondary growth, such as angiosperms, the pith is surrounded by the vascular tissues and is gradually compressed by the inward growth of the vascular tissue known as xylem. In plants with woody stems, the pith dries out and often disintegrates as the plant grows older, leaving the stem hollow. See illustration at xylem.

Verb

To remove the pith from a plant stem.
To sever or destroy the spinal cord of an animal for the purpose of dissecting it, usually by inserting a needle into the spinal canal.

Example sentences

He wore a pith helmet and shared advice on such matters as the wearing of

thermal underwear to beat the heat.

Then juice oranges, reserving juice and peel, and discarding any pith that

remains.

Meanwhile, peel tangerines, removing tiny threads of pith.

Bonus points will be awarded for anecdotal offerings and the usual high quality

pith.

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Matching Quote

"But age, allas that al wol envenime,
Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith—
Lat go, farewel, the devel go therwith!
The flour is goon, ther is namore to telle:"

-Geoffrey Chaucer