Gist
/dʒɪst/noun
The main or essential part of a matter.
Did you know?The word 'gist' comes from an old French term meaning 'to exist,' suggesting that capturing the essence of something is akin to summoning its very being.
Etymological Timeline
Old French
Old French
gist
“It exists or lies (down); the essence of something.”
Latin
Latin
jacere
“To lie down or to be situated.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*yēg-
“To throw, to place, or to lie.”
Modern English
English
gist
“The essential part of a matter or the main point.”