n. [ L. tunica: cf. F. tunique. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Rom. Antiq.) An under-garment worn by the ancient Romans of both sexes. It was made with or without sleeves, reached to or below the knees, and was confined at the waist by a girdle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any similar garment worn by ancient or Oriental peoples; also, a common name for various styles of loose-fitting under-garments and over-garments worn in modern times by Europeans and others. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (R. C. Ch.) Same as Tunicle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Anat.) A membrane, or layer of tissue, especially when enveloping an organ or part, as the eye. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Bot.) A natural covering; an integument; as, the tunic of a seed. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Zool.) See Mantle, n., 3 (a). [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Tunicaries [ L. tunica a tunic. ] (Zool.) One of the Tunicata. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖pr. n. pl. [ NL. See Tunicate. ] (Zool.) A grand division of the animal kingdom, intermediate, in some respects, between the invertebrates and vertebrates, and in modern classifications considered a subphylum of the vertebrates; called also urochordata. They were formerly classed with acephalous mollusks. The body is usually covered with a firm external tunic, consisting in part of cellulose, and having two openings, one for the entrance and one for the exit of water. The pharynx is usually dilated in the form of a sac, pierced by several series of ciliated slits, and serves as a gill. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Most of the species when mature are firmly attached to foreign substances, but have free-swimming larvae which are furnished with an elongated tail and somewhat resemble a tadpole. In this state the larva has a urochord and certain other structures resembling some embryonic vertebrates. See Ascidian, Doliolum, Salpa, Urochord, and Illust. of Social ascidian, under Social. [ 1913 Webster ]

pr. n. (Zool.) One of the Tunicata. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. tunicatus, p. p. of tunicare to clothe with a tunic, fr. tunica a tunic. ] 1. (Bot.) Covered with a tunic; covered or coated with layers; as, a tunicated bulb. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) Having a tunic, or mantle; of or pertaining to the Tunicata. (b) Having each joint buried in the preceding funnel-shaped one, as in certain antennae of insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Physiol. Chem.) Animal cellulose; a substance present in the mantle, or tunic, of the Tunicates, which resembles, or is identical with, the cellulose of the vegetable kingdom. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. tunicula a little tunic, coat, or membrane, dim. of tunica a tunic: cf. OF. tunicle. ] 1. A slight natural covering; an integument. [ 1913 Webster ]

The tunicles that make the ball or apple of the eye. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (R. C. Ch.) A short, close-fitting vestment worn by bishops under the dalmatic, and by subdeacons. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Tune, v. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tuning fork (Mus.), a steel instrument consisting of two prongs and a handle, which, being struck, gives a certain fixed tone. It is used for tuning instruments, or for ascertaining the pitch of tunes. [ 1913 Webster ]