cerebral cortex

noun

: the convoluted surface layer of gray matter of the cerebrum that functions chiefly in coordination of sensory and motor information compare neocortex

Examples of cerebral cortex in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Modern medicine’s first attempt to cure psychiatric illness through surgery may be traced back to the late 19th century, when Gottlieb Burckhardt, a Swiss psychiatrist, removed tissue from the cerebral cortex in a half-dozen patients. —Frieda Klotz, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2025

This enigmatic process appears to be controlled by the thalamus, a central region of the brain already known for its function as a filter between sensory signals and the cerebral cortex, the portion of the brain that governs higher-level processes such as memory, thought, and personality. —Jorge Garay, Wired News, 19 Apr. 2025

Birds don’t have a cerebral cortex—at least, not in the same way that humans do. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025

The cerebral cortex plays a crucial role in cognition, social interaction and emotional regulation. —Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cerebral cortex

• neocortex
• vortex

Medical Definition

cerebral cortex

noun

: the convoluted surface layer of gray matter of the cerebrum that functions chiefly in coordination of sensory and motor information

called also pallium

see neocortex