theca

[thee-kuh] /ˈθi kə/
noun, plural thecae
[thee-see] /ˈθi si/ (Show IPA)
1.
a case or receptacle.
2.
Botany, Mycology.
  1. a sac, cell, or capsule.
  2. a sporangium.
3.
Anatomy, Zoology. a case or sheath enclosing an organ, structure, etc., as the horny covering of an insect pupa.
Origin
1655-65; < Latin thēca < Greek thḗkē case, cover, akin to tithénai to place, put
Related forms
thecal, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for theca

theca

/ˈθiːkə/
noun (pl) -cae (-siː)
1.
(botany) an enclosing organ, cell, or spore case, esp the capsule of a moss
2.
(zoology) a hard outer covering, such as the cup-shaped container of a coral polyp
Derived Forms
thecal, thecate, adjective
Word Origin
C17: from Latin thēca, from Greek thēkē case; related to Greek tithenai to place
theca in Medicine

theca the·ca (thē'kə)
n. pl. the·cae (-sē', -kē')
A case, covering, or sheath, such as the outer covering of the cocoon of certain insects.

theca in Science
theca
  (thē'kə)   
Plural thecae (thē'sē', -kē')
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.