tunic

noun

tu·​nic ˈtü-nik How to pronounce tunic (audio)
ˈtyü-
1
a
: a simple slip-on garment made with or without sleeves and usually knee-length or longer, belted at the waist, and worn as an under or outer garment by men and women of ancient Greece and Rome
b
2
a
: a hip-length or longer blouse or jacket
b
: a short overskirt
3
: a long usually plain close-fitting jacket with high collar worn especially as part of a uniform
4
5
: an enclosing or covering membrane or tissue
the tunic of a seed

Examples of tunic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The exhibition moves as breezily as an organza tunic, and makes and abandons these points quickly, which to me was perhaps a concession to tight attention spans. Vanessa Friedman and Max Lakin, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2023 Stitching irregularities suggest that the tunic was made by Morrell’s own dressmaker. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023 In sustainable style, the scarlet tunic uniforms that King Charles’ coronation pages wore were originally made during Queen Elizabeth’s reign, and Oliver, Nicholas and Ralph sported the outfits again on Tuesday. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023 Queen Camilla shimmered in a periwinkle tunic top and palazzo-style pants by Anna Valentine, Rebecca English of the Daily Mail reported on X. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 31 Oct. 2023 This flowy tunic dress pairs perfectly with tights and boots. Elle Murphy, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2023 The ideal version is as wide as a mini-skirt and worn low on the hips over a tunic or a simple pair of jeans, but designers also opted for something a little lighter and more ’70s inspired. Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2023 His signature palette of black, off-white and navy was updated with soft earth tones including amber, taupe and shell pink, and silhouettes ranged from coats with sculptural gathered sleeves to flowing tunics that can be transformed, via zippers, into shift dresses. Gage Daughdrill, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023 There's no doubt that Spanx's leggings will be your go-to for fall and winter, whether paired with a relaxed turtleneck tunic or dressy silk button-down. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tunic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Old English tunice, from Latin tunica, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew kuttōneth coat

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tunic was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near tunic

Cite this Entry

“Tunic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tunic. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

tunic

noun
tu·​nic ˈt(y)ü-nik How to pronounce tunic (audio)
1
: a usually belted knee-length garment worn by ancient Greeks and Romans
2
: a shirt or jacket reaching to or just below the hips

Medical Definition

tunic

noun
tu·​nic ˈt(y)ü-nik How to pronounce tunic (audio)
: an enclosing or covering membrane or tissue : tunica
the tunics of the eye

More from Merriam-Webster on tunic

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