tunic

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French tunique, from Latin tunica, possibly from Semitic; see also Aramaic [script needed] (kittuna), Hebrew כותנת (kuttoneth, “coat”); or from Etruscan. Existed in Old English as tunece; unknown if term was lost and then reborrowed later.

noun

1. A garment worn over the torso, with or without sleeves, and of various lengths reaching from the hips to the ankles.
   As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess
2. (anatomy, botany) Any covering, such as seed coat or the organ that covers a membrane.
   Select individual bulbs that are firm and have no noticeable blemishes on them. Don't worry about the papery covering or tunic. That may or may not be in place, […] 2015, Charlie Nardozzi, New England Month-by-Month Gardening: What to Do Each Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year, Cool Springs Press, page 132