noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American, Received-Pronunciation:/d͡ʒɪst/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪst
CMU ARPABET:JH IH1 S T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter; the crux, the heart, the pith.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
I don't wanna belabor my point; I'm sure you get the gist.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: essence, quintessence, thrust
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The essential ground for action in a lawsuit, without which there is no cause of action; the gravamen.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, dated
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Gossip, rumour; (countable) an instance of this.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Nigeria, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A sharable snippet of source code, especially on the version controlled pastebin-hosting site GitHub Gist.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
The noun is derived from Old French gist, a noun use of the third person singular indicative of gesir (“to lie down”) (modern French gésir; compare Anglo-Norman (cest) action gist (literally “(law) (this) action lies”)), from Latin iacēre, the present active infinitive of iaceō (“to lie down, lie prostrate, recline”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(H)yeh1- (“to throw”) (probably in the sense of something being thrown down). The verb is derived from the noun. The programming sense is a genericized trademark of GitHub Gist, introduced 2008.
From Middle English giste, geste (“resting or stopping place, hostel, lodgings; food, refreshment; (figurative) seat of the soul”), from Old French giste (“resting place”) (modern French gîte (“lodging, shelter; self-catering holiday home”)), a noun use of the past participle form of gesir (“to lie down”): see etymology 1.
Across languages
Translations
65 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
لُبّ
(lubb)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Bulgarian:
същина́
(sǎštiná)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Bulgarian:
съ́щност
(sǎ́štnost)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Catalan:
essència
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Chinese Mandarin:
大要
(dàyào)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Chinese Mandarin:
要點 /要点
(yàodiǎn)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Chinese Mandarin:
要旨
(yàozhǐ)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Czech:
podstata
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Czech:
jádro
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Danish:
essens c kvintessens
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Dutch:
essentie
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Dutch:
grote lijnen
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Dutch:
kerngedachte
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Finnish:
olennainen
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Finnish:
pääsisältö
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Finnish:
ydin
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
French:
essentiel
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Galician:
cerna
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Galician:
cerne
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Galician:
miolo
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Georgian:
არსი
(arsi)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Georgian:
დედაარსი
(dedaarsi)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Georgian:
დედააზრი
(dedaazri)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
German:
Hauptinhalt
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
German:
Hauptpunkt
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
German:
Kern
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
German:
Kernaussage
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
German:
Quintessenz
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
German:
Wesentliche
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Greek:
κεντρική ιδέα
(kentrikí idéa)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Greek:
ουσία
(ousía)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Hebrew:
עיקר
(ikar)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Hindi:
सारांश
(sārāñś)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Hungarian:
lényeg
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Icelandic:
aðalatriði
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Icelandic:
kjarni
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Italian:
essenza
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Italian:
sostanza
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Italian:
succo
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Japanese:
要旨
(yōshi)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Japanese:
要点
(yōten)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Korean:
핵심
(haeksim)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Macedonian:
срж
(srž)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Macedonian:
су́штина
(súština)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Māori:
matū
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Māori:
ngako
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Polish:
baza
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Portuguese:
âmago
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Portuguese:
essência
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Portuguese:
essencial
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Russian:
смысл
(smysl)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Russian:
су́щность
(súščnostʹ)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Russian:
суть
(sutʹ)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Scottish Gaelic:
brìgh
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Spanish:
esencia
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Spanish:
quid
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Spanish:
meollo
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Swedish:
kontenta
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Swedish:
pudelns kärna
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Telugu:
సారాంశము
(sārāṁśamu)
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Turkish:
ana fikir
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Turkish:
öz
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Turkish:
özet
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Turkish:
nüve
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
Vietnamese:
mấu chốt
— main idea or substance, or the most essential part, of a longer or more complicated matter — see also crux, essence, pith
