hypotheca

H4Y4P3O1T1H4E1C3A1

noun

The lower or posterior half of the theca of a thecate protist such as a diatom or dinoflagellate

OriginEnglish theca ← Latin thēca ← Ancient Greek θήκη (thḗkē) →
Scrabble 22
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Meanings

nounhypotheca (plural hypothecae)

plural hypothecae

  1. biologyThe lower or posterior half of the theca of a thecate protist such as a diatom or dinoflagellate

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  2. Ancient Greekῠ̔πό (hŭpó)
  3. Ancient Greekὑπο- (hupo-)
  4. Englishhypo-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*dʰédʰeh₁ti
  7. Ancient Greekτίθημι (títhēmi)
  8. Ancient Greekθήκη (thḗkē)
  9. Latinthēca
  10. Englishtheca
  11. Englishhypotheca

From hypo- + theca.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Hypotheka
  • Hypothekalower half of a diatom frustule
Irish hipithiach
  • hipithiachlower half of a diatom frustule
Korean 하각
  • 하각 (hagak)lower half of a diatom frustule

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

echopathy
Cite this entry
APA

hypotheca. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypotheca

MLA

“hypotheca.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypotheca. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hypotheca,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hypotheca.

Source: hypotheca on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.