1670s, in botany, "belonging to external covering," from Modern Latin corticalis "resembling or consisting of bark or rind," from cortex (genitive corticis) "bark of a tree" (from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut"). Also used in anatomy, applied to enveloping parts (distinguished from medullary).

"hydrocortisone," 1953; see from cortisone + -ol. Chosen as a shorter and clearer alternative to hydrocortisone.

synthetic steroid, 1955, probably with ending from cortisone + elements of pregnadiene, from pregnane, name of the compound from which pregnancy hormones were derived, from the Latin stem of pregnancy, + diene "unsaturated hydrocarbon containing two double bonds between carbon atoms," from di- + -ene.