LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

cortex

cortex m or f (genitive corticis)
Classical[ˈkɔr.tɛks]Ecclesiastical[ˈkɔr.teks]

Meaning

  1. femininemasculinethe bark of a tree; the bark of a cork tree; cork
  2. femininemasculinethe shell or outward part or covering of anything else; body
    cortex periamygdaloideus
  3. femininemasculinelife preserver (made of bark)
    nāre sine corticeto need no more assistance

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

crusta arboris
cortex -icis (m) — in Aeneis, ch. 22

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecortexcorticēs
genitivecorticiscorticum
dativecorticīcorticibus
accusativecorticemcorticēs
ablativecorticecorticibus
vocativecortexcorticēs

cortex, ĭcis, m. and rar. f. (cf. Quint. 1, 5, 35) [Sanscr. kart, to cut, split; Gr. κείρω; cf. culter],
I. the bark, rind, shell, hull.
I. Prop., of plants: obducuntur libro aut cortice trunci, Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 120.
A. In gen.
(a). Masc., Varr. ap. Non. p. 199, 26; Verg. G. 2, 74; id. A. 7, 742; Ov. M. 1, 554; id. F. 2, 649; Plin. 2, 103, 106, § 226 al.; cf. infra.—
(b). Fem., Lucr. 4, 48; Verg. E. 6, 63; Ov. M. 10, 512; 14, 630; Mart. 14, 209; Scrib. Comp. 60.—
B. In partic., the bark of the cork-tree, cork, used for stoppers, Cato, R. R. 120; (masc.) Hor. C. 3, 8, 10; in learning to swim; hence prov.: nare sine cortice, to need no more assistance, id. S. 1, 4, 120—From its lightness is borrowed the phrase: tu levior cortice, Hor. C. 3, 9, 22; cf.: ut summā cortex levis innatet undā, Ov. Tr. 3, 4, 11.—
II. Transf., of other shells than those of vegetables: ovi, Vitr. 8, 3.—
B. Trop., the outward part, covering, i. e. the body: anima corporeum corticem reliquit, Varr. ap. Non. p. 199, 29.

Origins

From Proto-Indo-European *(s)kort-ek-s, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kert-, extended from *(s)ker- (“to cut”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κείρω (keírō, “to cut off”), English shear, German scheren, Albanian harr (“to cut, to mow”), Lithuanian ski̇̀rti (“separate”), Welsh ysgar (“separate”), Old Armenian քերեմ (kʻerem, “to scrape, scratch”). See also scortum (“skin, hide”).

Elsewhere
  • Catalancòrtex
  • Englishcortex
  • Frenchcortex
  • Italiancortice
  • Portuguesecórtex
  • Portuguesecórtice
  • Spanishcórtex
  • Arabicالقُورْق
  • Irishcoirt
  • TranslingualCorticaria
Insular Romance
  • Sardiniancortiche
  • Sardiniancortighe
Ibero-Romance
  • Spanishcorchofrom Mozarabic *kórčo
  • Spanishcorchefrom Mozarabic *kórčo

Quick answers

What does cortex mean in Latin?
cortex, a noun, means “the bark of a tree; the bark of a cork tree; cork”.
What is the genitive of cortex?
The genitive singular is corticis. cortex is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce cortex?
In classical Latin, [ˈkɔr.tɛks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkɔr.teks].