Meaning & use
cortex
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablemedicalbiology
The thin, folded outer layer of the brain that handles thinking, memory and the senses.
Grammar: Often modified by an adjective: visual cortex, prefrontal cortex.
Patterns
- the cortex of something
- a part of the cortex
The visual cortex processes what the eyes see.
The cerebral cortex is larger in humans than in most animals.
Damage to the motor cortex can affect movement.
nouncountablemedicalbiology
The outer layer of another organ, such as the kidney or adrenal gland.
Grammar: Another word like medulla refers to the inner part.
Patterns
- the cortex of the kidney
The adrenal cortex produces several hormones.
The kidney's cortex contains tiny filtering units.
Doctors studied a sample of the renal cortex.
nouncountablebiologytechnical
In botany, the layer of tissue between the outer skin and the center of a stem or root.
Grammar: A technical botany term.
Patterns
- the cortex of a root
Water passes through the root cortex.
Cells in the stem cortex store starch.
The cortex lies just below the epidermis.
Word forms
| plural | cortices |
|---|
Common combinations
- cerebral cortex
- The cerebral cortex is deeply folded.
- prefrontal cortex
- The prefrontal cortex helps with planning.
- visual cortex
- The visual cortex interprets signals from the eyes.
- motor cortex
- The motor cortex controls voluntary movement.
- adrenal cortex
- Cortisol is made in the adrenal cortex.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gray matter
- Gray matter names the brain tissue itself, and it includes areas besides the cortex.
- rind
- Rind is an everyday word for an outer layer of fruit or cheese and is not used for organs.
- outer layer
- Outer layer is the plain description, while cortex is the precise anatomical term.
Opposites
Word family
- cortical adjective
- relating to the cortex
- corticosteroid noun
- a hormone or drug related to adrenal cortex hormones
- neocortex noun
- the newest part of the cerebral cortex
- cortisol noun
- a stress hormone made in the adrenal cortex
Commonly confused: cortex or vortex?
cortex vs vortex
A vortex is a whirling mass of air or water; the words sound similar but are unrelated.
Practice
The part of the brain's surface responsible for higher thinking is the cerebral ___.
Choose one answer.
The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain. A vortex is a whirl, cortisol is a hormone, and the cornea is part of the eye.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cortex”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.