n. pl. cor·ti·ces (-t
ĭ-s
ēz
′)
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.
4. Cytology The region of the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell that lies just under the plasma membrane and contains a network of actin filaments and associated proteins that determine the shape of the cell.