gist

American  

[jist] / dʒɪst /

noun

1. the main or essential part of a matter.

   What was the gist of his speech?

   Synonyms:

   import, kernel, burden, substance, point, essence

2. the ground of a legal action.

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gist British  

/ dʒɪst /

noun

1. the point or substance of an argument, speech, etc

2. law the essential point of an action

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Etymology

Origin of gist

First recorded in 1720–30; from Anglo-French (cest action) gist “(this matter) lies,” 3rd-person singular present of Anglo-French, Old French gesir “to lie” (compare modern French ci-gît “here lies”), ultimately from Latin jacēre; cf. adjacent ( def. ), hic jacet ( def. )

Explanation

When you need a quick summary of the essentials, rather than the whole story or a thorough explanation, you're looking for the gist. The word gist has had a variety of meanings in English, but most of them have become obsolete. The surviving sense of the word entered the language by way of the law: The gist of any legal action is the factor on which the action depends — that is, an alleged assault might be the gist of an indictment. The meaning of gist has evolved, though, and now it can be used to describe the core component of any matter, as in, "He watched the trailer, but he still didn't get the gist of the movie." Or, "She was having trouble writing a headline that conveyed the gist of her article."

Example Sentences

The gist: Intel’s server central processing unit, or CPU, business for artificial-intelligence computing is making up for weakness in the PC chip market.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

This has been the gist of every serious analysis of Europe’s economy for the past several decades, the most recent of which was prepared in 2024 by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

The loss has been analysed but not exorcised is his gist.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

But that’s the gist of what they would be asked to do, which bespeaks no small amount of hubris on Newsom’s part.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 23, 2025

Oppenheimer’s preamble to the document delivered the gist: “No member of the Committee was willing to endorse this proposal,” he wrote.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• summary
• tenor
• upshot