— thecal , adj.
/thee"keuh/ , n. , pl. thecae /-see/ .
1. a case or receptacle.
2. Bot. , Mycol.
a. a sac, cell, or capsule.
b. a sporangium.
3. Anat. , Zool. a case or sheath enclosing an organ, structure, etc., as the horny covering of an insect pupa.
[ 1655-65; theca théke case, cover, akin to tithénai to place, put ]