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Pith vs Cortex - What's the difference?

pith | cortex |

As nouns the difference between pith and cortex

is that pith is the soft, spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees while cortex is the outer layer of an internal organ or body structure, such as the kidney or the brain.

As a verb pith

is to extract the pith from (a plant stem or tree).

pith

English

Noun

(-)
  • The soft, spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees.
  • The spongy interior substance of a feather.
  • The spinal cord; the marrow.
  • (figuratively) The essential or vital part.
  • The pith of my idea is truth.
  • * Shakespeare
  • enterprises of great pith and moment

    Synonyms

    * (essential or necessary part) core, essence, general tenor, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, kernel, marrow, meat, nitty-gritty, nub, quintessence, soul, spirit, stuff, substance

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To extract the pith from (a plant stem or tree).
  • To kill (especially cattle or laboratory animals) by cutting or piercing the spinal cord.
  • cortex

    English

    (wikipedia cortex)

    Noun

  • (countable, anatomy) The outer layer of an internal organ or body structure, such as the kidney or the brain.
  • (uncountable, botany) The tissue of a stem or root that lies inward from the epidermis, but exterior to the vascular tissue.
  • Derived terms

    * cortical * cerebral cortex * prefrontal cortex