Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A rectangular woolen or linen cloak worn by men and women in ancient Greece.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In ancient Greek costume, a rectangular piece of woolen stuff, usually five or six feet wide and twice as long, worn wrapped about the body in different ways, according to the taste of the wearer, either as an outer garment over the tunic, by both sexes, or at times, by men, as the sole garment. The himation was often made of fine stuff, and richly embroidered.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A rectangular cloak of linen or wool, worn in Ancient Greece, usually over a chiton.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Greek hīmation, diminutive of hīma, hīmat-, garment, variant of heima, from hennunai, to clothe; see wes- in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • The adjustment of the himation is a work of great art.

    A Day in Old Athens; a Picture of Athenian Life William Stearns Davis 1903

  • The difference cannot be that our language contains a single word (˜man™) for a rational animal, but no single word for a pale man, for Aristotle has already conceded (1029b28) that we might very well have had a single term (he suggests himation, literally ˜cloak™) for a pale man, but that would still not make the formula ˜pale man™ a definition nor pale man an essence (1030a2).

    Aristotle's Metaphysics Cohen, S. Marc 2008

  • Paint and tattoos adorned bodies sometimes naked, oftener wrapped in a dyed woolen kilt-a sort of primitive himation-or attired in breeches and perhaps a tunic of gaudy hues.

    The Boat of a Million Years Anderson, Poul, 1926- 1989

  • Paint and tattoos adorned bodies sometimes naked, oftener wrapped in a dyed woolen kilt-a sort of primitive himation-or attired in breeches and perhaps a tunic of gaudy hues.

    The Boat of a Million Years Anderson, Poul, 1926- 1988

  • Rather with one hand he trhew back the himation, over his shoulders.

    Rogue Of Gor Norman, John, 1931- 1982

  • There about twenty feet away, in a dirty woolen himation, stood a tall, unshaven man.

    Rogue Of Gor Norman, John, 1931- 1982

  • She had come, the morning being fresh, with a himation round her shoulders.

    Funeral Games Renault, Mary, 1905-1983 1981

  • Eurydike went ashore with a long cloak over her tunic, and, in the lodging, assumed himation and robe.

    Funeral Games Renault, Mary, 1905-1983 1981

  • The matron brought her himation of dyed saffron, the lucky color of fertility and joy.

    Funeral Games Renault, Mary, 1905-1983 1981

  • The sky was bright; so were the girls, each in her festal dress, the peplos damp-pleated into tiny clinging folds, and fastened on the shoulders with gold brooches; the himation draped across, often an heirloom, with borders of six months 'work; hair freshly washed and waved, combed down over back and breasts.

    The Praise Singer Renault, Mary 1978

Comments

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  • A rectangular woolen or linen cloak worn by men and women in ancient Greece.

    July 23, 2007

  • voluptuous folds of fabric draped over one shoulder and reaching to the ankle

    September 17, 2008

  • This is one of the rare words in English where -tion is pronounced as two syllables (/tee-on/) instead of one (/shun/).

    September 17, 2008