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
a.
the unspecialized tissue in plant stems and roots between the vascular bundles and the epidermis
b.
the outer layer of a part such as the bark of a stem
Derived forms
cortical (ˈkɔːtɪkəl)
adjective
cortically (ˈcortically)
adverb
Word origin
C17: from Latin: bark, outer layer
Examples of 'cortices' in a sentence
cortices
In particular, the orbitofrontal cortices allow for the inhibition of aggression.
The Scientist (2001)
The difference was striking, with the web users displaying fundamentally altered prefrontal cortices.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Back in the lobby the lower regions of the assembled brains are still running rings around the prefrontal cortices.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All related terms of 'cortices'
cortex
The cortex of the brain or of another organ is its outer layer.
motor cortex
the region of the cerebral cortex concerned with transmitting impulses to the voluntary muscles
sensory cortex
the region of the cerebral cortex concerned with receiving and interpreting sensory information from various parts of the body
visual cortex
the portion of the cerebral cortex of the brain that receives and processes impulses from the optic nerves
associative cortex
the part of the cortex that does not have direct connections to the senses or motor system and is thought to be involved in higher mental processes
cerebral cortex
the outermost layer of the cerebrum that is the locus of higher brain processes