French Conversation · Level 70
59 words
French word
cortex
Pronunciation
IPA/kɔʁtɛks/
Meaning
- masculine nouncortex
Example
Le cortex contrôle la pensée et la mémoire.
The cortex controls thought and memory.
More examples
Le cortex réagit au stress.
The cortex reacts to stress.
Core concept
A folded gray surface that forms the brain's main processing layer.
Similar words
cerveau: The main organ in the head that controls sensation, thought, and movement.
organe: A body part with a specific function.
couche: A thin layer covering or lying over an object or tissue.
surface: The outermost part of an object or body.
Definition in French
Couche superficielle et plissée du cerveau, constituée principalement de matière grise et jouant un rôle central dans le traitement de l'information.
Word origin
As a learned anatomical borrowing, French cortex preserves the Latin word cortex, which originally referred to tree bark or an outer covering.
Usage tips
- The final x in cortex is pronounced in French, giving roughly kor-teks rather than a silent ending.