pithy

[ pith-ee ]

adjective

, pith·i·er, pith·i·est.

1. brief, forceful, and meaningful in expression; full of vigor, substance, or meaning; terse; forcible:

   a pithy observation.

   Synonyms: concise, meaty, pointed, succinct

2. of, like, or abounding in pith.

pithy

/ ˈpɪθɪ /

adjective

1. terse and full of meaning or substance
2. of, resembling, or full of pith

Derived Forms

• ˈpithiness, noun
• ˈpithily, adverb

Other Words From

• pithi·ly adverb
• pithi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pithy¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; pith, -y ¹

Example Sentences

During Friday's event, Brown offered a pithy rebuttal.

From Salon

“It’s about marriage, adultery and regular church attendance,” she whispered, clearly pleased with her pithy elevator pitch.

From Los Angeles Times

All that was left were pithy comments, beginning with this call from FOX play-by-play commentator Joe Davis: “We’ve had ‘Snakes on a Plane’, ‘Snakes on a Train’ and the latest Hollywood hit: ‘Snake in the Dugout.’

From Los Angeles Times

The cheek only came at the end of Swift's endorsement, with a pithy "childless cat lady" callback.

From Salon

Presidential debates are remembered for the candidates’ pithy one-liners.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cogent
• concise
• laconic
• succinct
• terse
• trenchant