Word of the Day - 12/28/25
pithy
/'pɪθi/(adj.): concise and full of meaning
Her pithy response, "Less is more," perfectly encapsulated the design philosophy.
Word Origin
The word 'pithy' originates from the Old English word 'piþa', meaning "innermost part" or "essence", combined with the adjectival suffix '-y'. 'Piþa' referred to the soft, spongy tissue in the stems of plants, and by extension, the essential part or core of something. Thus, 'pithy' means "full of pith" or "full of essence", referring to something concise and full of meaning. It came into use in the late 16th century.
The most direct similar origin is the word 'pith' itself, from which 'pithy' is derived. Both share the same Old English root 'piþa'.
As a reminder, here are all of the words from this week:
theophany truant semiotics
pithy
See if you can remember all of this week's words! Here is a sentence that includes all seven, followed by a version that simplifies them to help you remember:
The jocose, vociferous crowd, often truant from civic duties, delivered pithy chants that, in their gestalt, felt like a modern theophany of dissent, full of semiotics for the keen observer.The playful, loud crowd, often absent from civic duties, delivered brief and meaningful chants that, as a whole, felt like a modern divine manifestation of disagreement, full of symbols for the keen observer.