organ of Corti

noun phrase

organ of Cor·​ti -ˈkȯr-tē 

: a complex epithelial structure in the cochlea that contains thousands of hair cells, rests on the internal surface of the basilar membrane, and in mammals is the chief part of the ear by which sound waves are perceived and converted into nerve impulses to be transmitted to the brain

Word History

Etymology

Alfonso Corti †1876 Italian anatomist

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

organ of Corti

organ of Cor·​ti -ˈkȯrt-ē 

: a structure in the cochlea that is the chief part of the ear which receives sound and changes it into signals carrying information to the brain

Medical Definition

organ of Corti

noun

organ of Cor·​ti -ˈkȯrt-ē 

: a complex epithelial structure in the cochlea that in mammals is the chief part of the ear by which sound is directly perceived and that rests on the internal surface of the basilar membrane and contains two spiral rows of rods of Corti which arch over a spiral tunnel of Corti and support on the inner side a single row of columnar hair cells and on the outer side several rows having their bases surrounded by nerve-cell arborizations compare arch of corti