cortex

[kawr-teks]

noun

plural

cortices 

1. Anatomy, Zoology.

   1. the outer region of an organ or structure, as the outer portion of the kidney.

   2. the cerebral cortex.

2. Botany.

   1. the portion of a stem between the epidermis and the vascular tissue; bark.

   2. any outer layer, as rind.

3. Mycology.,  the surface tissue layer of a fungus or lichen, composed of massed hyphal cells.

cortex

/ ˈkɔːtɛks, ˈkɔːtɪkəl /

noun

1. anatomy the outer layer of any organ or part, such as the grey matter in the brain that covers the cerebrum ( cerebral cortex ) or the outer part of the kidney ( renal cortex )

2. botany

   1. the unspecialized tissue in plant stems and roots between the vascular bundles and the epidermis

   2. the outer layer of a part such as the bark of a stem

cortex

1. The outer layer of an organ or body part, such as the cerebrum or the adrenal glands.

2. The region of tissue lying between the epidermis (the outermost layer) and the vascular tissue in the roots and stems of plants. It is composed of collenchyma, parenchyma, and sclerenchyma. In roots the cortex transfers water and minerals from the epidermis to the vascular tissue, which distributes them to other parts of the plant. The cortex also provides structural support and stores food manufactured in the leaves.

3. See illustration at xylem

Other Word Forms

• subcortex noun
• cortical adjective
• cortically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cortex¹

1650–60; < Latin: bark, rind, shell, husk

Word History and Origins

Origin of cortex¹

C17: from Latin: bark, outer layer

Example Sentences

After a tour of her laboratory and MRI scanner, dialogue about the frontal cortex and the mysteries of synapses, she offered a simple declarative sentence: “We are our brains.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

After all, you’re a human moving about the earth, and that means you’ve had this information disseminated through one of millions of T.S.-branded channels and firmly planted in your prefrontal cortex.

Read more on Salon

The disease starts with small lesions developing in the prefrontal cortex, along the brain stem, which sets off a chain reaction that slowly kills brain cells.

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I believe that when we are measured and deliberative and we are calm — and we are not mercurial, not raging — we can make more sound decisions because we’re operating using our cortex.

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Research has shown that the premotor and posterior parietal cortices, along with the temporoparietal junction, are active in the brain when we are locating or thinking about ourselves.

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