Meaning & use
tunic dress
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Meanings
nouncountable
A simple dress that hangs straight from the shoulders to above the knee or mid-thigh, often worn over trousers or leggings.
Grammar: Countable: one tunic dress, two tunic dresses.
Patterns
- wear a tunic dress
- a tunic dress over leggings
- a long/short tunic dress
She wore a black tunic dress with thick tights to the party.
For the office, pair a plain tunic dress with slim trousers.
The store sells tunic dresses in linen for summer.
nouncountable
A loose garment similar to a long shirt, often belted or worn as a light dress.
Grammar: Countable; can be used for a top that works like a short dress.
Patterns
- a belted tunic dress
- a sleeveless tunic dress
She belted the tunic dress to give it more shape.
A sleeveless tunic dress is cool for hot weather.
Word forms
| plural | tunic dresses |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a tunic dress
- I usually wear a tunic dress with boots in autumn.
- a long tunic dress
- A long tunic dress can look elegant with heels.
- a tunic dress over leggings
- She prefers a tunic dress over leggings for comfort.
- a patterned tunic dress
- He bought her a patterned tunic dress for her birthday.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shift dress
- A shift dress is similar but usually falls to the knee and is not layered over trousers.
- tunic
- A tunic is often a top or long shirt, not necessarily a full dress; a tunic dress is specifically a dress version.
Word family
Commonly confused: tunic dress or tunic?
tunic dress vs tunic
A tunic is often a top or long shirt, while a tunic dress is a dress that can be worn alone or over trousers.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'tunic dress' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A tunic dress is typically worn over leggings or trousers, so 'leggings' is the natural pairing. The other options are possible clothing items but do not reflect the usual way a tunic dress is styled.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tunic dress”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.