tŭnĭca, ae, f. [perh. for tog-nica, from tego], an under-garment of the Romans worn by both sexes, a tunic.
- I. Lit., Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 46; 5, 2, 60; id. Mil. 3, 1, 93; 5, 30; id. Pers. 1, 3, 75; Cic. Tusc. 5, 20, 60; id. de Or. 2, 47, 195; Hor. S. 1, 2, 132; id. Ep. 1, 1, 96; 1, 18, 33.
A tunic with long sleeves was thought effeminate, Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 48; Cic. Cat. 2, 10, 22; Suet. Calig. 52; Gell. 7, 12, 4: et tunicae manicas habent, Verg. A. 9, 616: manicata, Curt. 3, 3, 13; cf. Plin. 8, 48, 74, § 194: tunicas mutare cottidie, Hier. Ep. 22, 32.
Prov.: tunica propior pallio est, my tunic is nearer than my cloak (like the Engl. near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin), Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 30.
- II. Transf., a coating, skin, tegument, membrane, husk, peel, etc., = velamentum, membrana: se medio trudunt de cortice gemmae Et tenues rumpunt tunicas, Verg. G. 2, 75: cum teretes ponunt tunicas aestate cicadae, Lucr. 4, 58; so, oculorum, Cels. 7, 7, 14; Plin. 11, 37, 54, § 147: boletorum, id. 22, 22, 46, § 93: corticis, id. 24, 3, 3, § 7; cf.: inter corticem ac lignum tenues tunicae multiplici membranā, id. 16, 14, 25, § 65; 16, 36, 65, § 163.