theca

(t̸hē′kə)

noun pl. thecae

Bot. a spore case, sac, or capsule
Zool., Anat. any sheath or sac enclosing an organ or a whole organism, as the covering of an insect pupa

Origin: ModL < L < Gr thēkē, a case < IE *dhēkā < base *dhē-, to place, put > do, L facere

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See theca in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. the·cae (-sēˌ, -kēˌ)

A case, covering, or sheath, such as the pollen sac of an anther, the spore case of a moss, or the outer covering of the pupa of certain insects.

Origin:

Origin: Latin thēca, case, receptacle

Origin: , from Greek thēkē; see dhē- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

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