A cewar ƙamus, kalmar “cortex” tana nufin ɓangaren waje na gaba ko tsarin jiki, musamman ma kwakwalwa. Kullin kwakwalwa yana da alhakin ayyuka masu girma da yawa, ciki har da sani, tunani, ƙwaƙwalwa, da harshe. Hakanan ana amfani da kalmar "cortex" don komawa zuwa saman saman sauran gabobin, kamar glandar adrenal ko koda. Gabaɗaya, cortex na kowace gaɓa shine Layer na nama wanda yake kusa da saman kuma yana da alhakin ayyukan farko na gabobin.