ˈkȯr]ˌteks, -ȯ(ə)] noun
( plural corti·ces ]_d.əˌsēz ; or cortex·es ]ˌteksə̇z)
Etymology: Latin, bark — more at cuirass
1.
a. : the bark of various plants used medicinally (as cinchona bark or cotton-root bark)
b. : the peel of any of several fruits — used especially in the writing of medical prescriptions
2.
a. : the outer or superficial part of an organ or structure (as the kidney, adrenal gland, or a hair) ; especially : the outer layer of gray matter of the cerebrum and cerebellum that contains most of the higher nervous centers (as those concerned with the interpretation and correlation of sensory impressions)
b. : the outer part of certain organisms (as some protozoans) — compare medulla
3.
a. : the cylinder of primary tissue surrounding the stele of a vascular plant, extending from endodermis, pericycle, or vascular tissue on the inside to the epidermis or into the bark on the outside, and consisting in its simplest form of thin-walled parenchyma cells which function in photosynthesis and food storage but often especially in herbaceous plants consisting at least in part of collenchyma or sclerenchyma cells or both which function in support and sometimes where much secondary growth occurs consisting of crowded and crushed cells that eventually slough off partially or wholly ; broadly : all tissues outside the xylem — see secondary cortex
b. : the layer of nearly cubical cells surrounding the central core of certain brown algae immediately beneath the superficial layer
c. : a layer of compacted and often somewhat fused fungal hyphae on either or both surfaces of many lichens that is often limited externally by an outer dermal layer — called also pseudocortex
d. : the peridium of a fungus