Botany . the soft, spongy central cylinder of parenchymatous tissue in the stems of dicotyledonous plants.

Zoology . the soft inner part of a feather, a hair, etc.

the important or essential part; essence; core; heart

the pith of the matter.

significant weight; substance; solidity

an argument without pith.

Archaic . spinal cord or bone marrow.

Archaic . strength, force, or vigor; mettle

men of pith.

to remove the pith from (plants).

to destroy the spinal cord or brain of.

to slaughter, as cattle, by severing the spinal cord.

noun

core , essence , gist , kernel , marrow , meat , nub , quintessence , root , soul , spirit , stuff , substance , center , corey , crux , embodiment , fiber , force , heart , importance , medulla , nucleus , pulp , significance , strength , sum and substance , vigor

adjective

aphoristic , apothegmatic , cogent , concentrated , epigrammatic , gnomic , laconic , pithy , sententious , terse , vigorous