Definition

Adjective: - Concise and full of meaning: Expressing a lot of meaning in just a few words; forceful and direct.

Usage

The adjective "pithy" is used to describe speech or writing that is brief, forceful, and meaningful. It implies that the statement is not only short but also substantial and effective.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The professor was known for his pithy remarks that captured complex ideas perfectly.
  • She gave a pithy summary of the 200-page report in just three sentences.
  • The reviewer's pithy critique, "ambitious but flawed," was widely quoted.

Advanced Usage

• "to be pithy": to have the quality of being concise and meaningful.
  • For a good headline, you need to be pithy and attention-grabbing.
• "pithy saying/aphorism/maxim": a short, memorable statement that expresses a general truth or principle.
  • "Less is more" is a pithy saying often used in design.

Variants and Related Words

• Pithily (adverb): in a pithy manner.
  • He commented pithily on the state of modern politics.
• Pithiness (noun): the quality of being pithy.
  • The pithiness of the proverb makes it easy to remember.

Synonyms

• Concise: giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words.
• Succinct: expressed in a brief and clear manner.
• Terse: sparing in the use of words; abrupt.
• Laconic: using very few words.

Antonyms

• Verbose: using or expressed in more words than are needed.
• Prolix: using too many words; tediously lengthy.
• Wordy: using or expressed in too many words.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To get to the pith of the matter": This idiom uses the core meaning of "pith" (the essential part) but is not a direct idiom with "pithy." It means to reach the most important part of an issue.
  • After a long discussion, we finally got to the pith of the matter.

Adjective

1. concise and full of meaning
   • welcomed her pithy comments
   • the peculiarly sardonic and sententious style in which Don Luis composed his epigrams- Hervey Allen