tunic

American  

[too-nik, tyoo-] / ˈtu nɪk, ˈtju- /

noun

tunics plural

1. Chiefly British. a coat worn as part of a military or other uniform.

2. a gownlike outer garment, with or without sleeves and sometimes belted, worn by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

3. a woman's upper garment, either loose or close-fitting and extending over the skirt to the hips or below.

4. a garment with a short skirt, worn by women for sports.

5. Ecclesiastical. a tunicle.

6. Anatomy, Zoology. any covering or investing membrane or part, as of an organ.

7. Botany. an integument, as that covering a seed.

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tunic British  

/ ˈtjuːnɪk /

noun

1. any of various hip-length or knee-length garments, such as the loose sleeveless garb worn in ancient Greece or Rome, the jacket of some soldiers, or a woman's hip-length garment, worn with a skirt or trousers

2. anatomy botany zoology a covering, lining, or enveloping membrane of an organ or part See also tunica

3. RC Church another word for tunicle

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subtunic
  noun
• supertunic
  noun
• undertunic
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tunics
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tunic

before 900; (< French tunique ) < Latin tunica; perhaps also continuing Old English tunece, tunica < Latin

Explanation

A tunic is a loose-fitting shirt that looks sort of like a long shirt or a short dress. For a fashionable summer look, you might pair trousers with a comfortable tunic that extends past your waist. The ancient Greeks and Romans were early fans of the tunic, and the loose-fitting garment remains popular in modern times. A tunic is popular wardrobe choice in hot, tropical regions because it's loose fitting and comfortable and helps you stay cool. Tunic can also refer to a membrane or tissue that covers something, like an organ or part of a plant. Some plants like tulips and onions have a protective tunic covering the outside of their bulb.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tunic tunics

“Fortunately he’s got his little tunic, so we don’t have to worry about his legs,” says Legacy Effects co-founder J. Alan Scott.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

They focused on the Hungarian nationalist group Vitézi Rend, whose medal Gorka wore on a military tunic to Trump’s inaugural events.

From Salon ● Apr. 22, 2026

W. H. Auden once wrote of a miserable Roman soldier guarding a cold, rain-soaked wall in northern Europe, mentioning "lice in my tunic and a cold in my nose."

From Science Daily ● Dec. 21, 2025

An elderly man wearing a white tunic sat alone amongst the bodies.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2025

It rent Paris’ tunic, but did not wound him.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Their 1998 “Stromboli” collection revolved around a Christian theme, a Marian procession, and dresses, tunics and blouses featuring Marian imagery.

From Salon ● May 17, 2026

Compared to the resort-ready tunics and preppy Reva flats that embodied Tory 1.0 in the 2000s, Tory 2.0 has evolved into a “weirder,” more innovative version of itself.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026

Delpierre marvels at the thousands of garments, ranging from vests and tunics to dresses and leotards displayed in a large warehouse near Geneva.

From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026

It, too, is a trove of exemplary works, from exquisite Raphael drawings to groovy 1970s plastic radios; Coptic tunics to Alexander McQueen couture gowns; vividly hued Islamic tiles to a bunch of grand English beds.

From New York Times ● May 13, 2024

When Gram saw them, they had butterfly wings and hats and tunics made with bits of thread and spare buttons they had managed to pluck from unsuspecting humans who wandered too close to the forest.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

Related Words

• blouse
• coat
• jacket
• robe