— theodicean , adj.
/thee od"euh see/ , n. , pl. theodicies .
a vindication of the divine attributes, particularly holiness and justice, in establishing or allowing the existence of physical and moral evil.
[ 1790-1800; THEO- + Gk dík ( e ) justice + -Y 3 , modeled on F théodicée, a coinage of Leibniz ]