Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

cortex, ĭcis, m. and rar. f. (cf. Quint. 1, 5, 35) [Sanscr. kart, to cut, split; Gr. κείρω; cf. culter], the bark, rind, shell, hull.

  1. I. Prop., of plants: obducuntur libro aut cortice trunci, Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 120.
    1. A. In gen.
          1. (α) 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.
          2. (β) Fem., Lucr. 4, 48; Verg. E. 6, 63; Ov. M. 10, 512; 14, 630; Mart. 14, 209; Scrib. Comp. 60.
    2. 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.
  2. II. Transf., of other shells than those of vegetables: ovi, Vitr. 8, 3.
    1. B. Trop., the outward part, covering, i. e. the body: anima corporeum corticem reliquit, Varr. ap. Non. p. 199, 29.