cortex
cortex Lexical Profile
cortex Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The outer layer of an internal organ or body structure, such as the kidney (renal cortex) or the brain (cerebral cortex), typically distinguished from the inner substance.
"The cerebral cortex plays a crucial role in complex cognitive tasks, including memory, attention, perception, and thought."
The specialized region of unspecialized tissue in a plant stem or root lying between the epidermis and the central vascular cylinder.
"In many herbaceous plants, the root cortex acts as a storage site for starch and helps transport water into the vascular core."
Word Nuance & Usage
In scientific and medical literature, the plural is usually formed with the Latinate 'cortices', though the regular English plural 'cortexes' is also widely accepted.
• Rhymes for cortex
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed directly into English in the late 14th century from Latin 'cortex', meaning 'bark', 'rind', or 'shell', applied metaphorically to the outer layer of anatomical structures.