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Botany The soft, spongelike, central cylinder of the stems of most flowering plants, composed mainly of parenchyma.
(noun)
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Zoology The soft inner substance of a feather or hair.
(noun)
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The essential or central part; the heart or essence. See Synonyms at substance.
(noun)
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Strength; vigor; mettle.
(noun)
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Significance; importance.
(noun)
American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.