cor·tex (kôr t ks )n. pl. cor·ti·ces (-t -s z ) or cor·tex·es 1. Anatomy a. The outer layer of an internal organ or body structure, as of the kidney or adrenal gland. b. The outer layer of gray matter that covers the surface of the cerebral hemisphere. 2. Botany The region of tissue in a root or stem lying between the epidermis and the vascular tissue. 3. An external layer, such as bark or rind.
[Latin, bark; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots.] |
cortex [kore-tex, -tiss-seez] Noun
pl -tices Anat the outer layer of the brain or some other internal organ [Latin: bark, outer layer]
cortical adj
cortex (kôr t ks )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. See illustration at xylem. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | cortex - the layer of unmyelinated neurons (the grey matter) forming the cortex of the cerebrumGolgi cell, Golgi's cell - a neuron in the cerebral cortex with short dendrites and with either a long axon or a short axon that ramifies in the grey matter cerebrum - anterior portion of the brain consisting of two hemispheres; dominant part of the brain in humans frontal cortex, frontal lobe - that part of the cerebral cortex in either hemisphere of the brain lying directly behind the forehead |
| 2. | cortex - the tissue forming the outer layer of an organ or structure in plant or animaladrenal cortex - the cortex of the adrenal gland; secretes corticosterone and sex hormones renal cortex - the cortex of the kidney containing the glomeruli and the convoluted tubules medulla - the inner part of an organ or structure in plant or animal |
| 3. | cortex - the tissue that surrounds the lens nucleus |