verb (used with object), de路cor路ti路cat路ed, de路cor路ti路cat路ing.
- to remove the bark, husk, or outer covering from.
- Surgery. to remove the cortex from (an organ or structure).
verb
- (tr) to remove the bark or some other outer layer from
- surgery to remove the cortex of (an organ or part)
1610s, from Latin decorticatus, past participle of decorticare “to strip of bark,” from de- (see de-) + stem of cortex “bark of a tree” (see cortex). Related: Decortication.