gist

Gist is a term with several related meanings centered on the idea of essence or main point. In ordinary usage, it refers to the core meaning or central takeaway of a text, speech, or situation, as in “get the gist of what was said.” In literary, rhetorical, and analytical contexts, it denotes the essential meaning that underpins the details or arguments presented.

Etymology and usage: The noun gist originated in Middle English from Old French forms linked to the idea of “that which lies” at the heart of something. Over time, the sense shifted from a literal sense of what lies beneath to a figurative sense of the main point or crux. The phrase “the gist of the case” is a well-established legal and general usage that highlights the core issue beyond specific particulars.

Technology: Gist is also the name of a web service created by GitHub for sharing code and text. A gist is a small, self-contained repository that can contain multiple files and is backed by Git. Gists can be made public or secret, and they can be forked, starred, and embedded in other pages. They offer features such as syntax highlighting and revision history, serving as a lightweight alternative to full repositories for snippets and notes.

Other uses: In medicine, GIST is an acronym for gastrointestinal stromal tumor, a type of tumor occurring in the digestive tract, commonly treated with targeted therapies such as imatinib. In general language, the word gist remains synonymous with the essential point or main idea of something.