Lewis & Short

tŭnĭca, ae, f. [perh. for tog-nica, from tego], an under-garment of the Romans worn by both sexes, a tunic.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.