pith

/pɪθ/
verb
  1. To remove the pith from a fruit or plant.
    • The recipe says to pith the oranges before slicing them.
    • He carefully pithed the lemon to avoid the bitter white layer.
    • You should pith the grapefruit if you want a sweeter taste.
  2. To kill an animal by cutting or piercing the spinal cord in the brainstem, often used in laboratory or slaughter contexts.
    • In some research, animals are pithed to minimize suffering.
    • The scientist had to pith the frog before the dissection.
    • The method used to pith the animal was quick and humane.
noun
  1. The spongy white tissue lining the rind of citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.
    • Some people eat the pith because it contains fiber and nutrients.
    • The pith of a lemon is often used in marmalade to add texture and pectin.
    • She carefully removed the bitter white pith from the orange slices before adding them to the salad.
  2. The essential or central part of something; the core meaning or substance.
    • The pith of his argument was that education should be free for everyone.
    • To understand the pith of the novel, you need to read the final chapter.
    • The pith of the speech was a call for unity and cooperation.
  3. The soft, spongy tissue in the center of plant stems.
    • The pith of a sunflower stem is light and easy to cut.
    • Some plants store water and nutrients in their pith.
    • The pith of the bamboo is used in some traditional crafts.