theca en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈθiːkə/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰédʰeh₁ti Ancient Greek τίθημι (títhēmi) Ancient Greek θήκη (thḗkē)bor. Latin thēca English theca From New Latin, from Latin thēca, from Ancient Greek θήκη (thḗkē, “a case, box, receptacle”), from τίθημι (títhēmi, “put, set, place”). Doublet of tay.
Meanings
- Any of several external cases or sheaths. ▸ The pollen-producing organ usually found in pairs and forming an anther.
- Any of several external cases or sheaths. ▸ The theca folliculi: the twin layers of cells surrounding the basal lamina of an ovarian follicle.
- Any of several external cases or sheaths. ▸ The thecal sac: the portion of the dura mater that surrounds the spinal cord and the cauda equina.
- Any of several external cases or sheaths. ▸ The membrane complex enveloping the cells of certain plankton including diatoms and dinoflagellates.
- (qualifier:marine biology) Any of several external cases or sheaths. ▸ The calcareous wall of a corallite, the exoskeleton of a coral polyp.
- Any of several external cases or sheaths. ▸ A sporangium: a spore case.
- A case for the corporal cloth used in the Eucharist.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| thecas | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| thecae | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
theca externa · thecitis · theca interna · hypotheca · endothecium · rhinotheca · gnathotheca · spermatheca · exotheca · epitheca · thecate · theciferous · oötheca · endotheca · sarcotheca · spermatotheca · hydrotheca · theca folliculi · karyotheca · theciform · exothecium · extrathecal · thecoma · theca cordis · thecaphore · thecal · mesotheca · gonotheca · podotheca · ootheca · intrathecal · thecasporous