de·cor·ti·cate
(ˈ)dē-ˈkȯrt-ə-ˌkāt 
decorticated; decorticating
: to remove all or part of the cortex from (as the brain)
: lacking a cortex and especially the cerebral cortex
experiments with decorticate cats
de·cor·ti·ca·tion
(ˌ)dē-ˌkȯrt-i-ˈkā-shən
: the surgical removal of the cortex of an organ, an enveloping membrane, or a constrictive fibrinous covering
the decortication of a lung
Cite this Entry
“Decorticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/decorticate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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