χιτών .χῐτών, Ionic κιθών, ῶνος, ὁ, the garment worn next the skin, a frock, Lat. tunica: in early times, a manʼs frock, Hom.; sometimes with a girdle, and reaching to the feet (τερμιόεις) , Od.; of linen, Od.; over it was worn a mantle (φᾶρος, χλαῖνα) , which was laid aside in the house. in later times we hear of two sorts of χιτών, the Ionian and the Dorian;—the Ionian like the Homeric, but worn by women, as well as men, Hdt.; disused by the men about the time of Pericles, Thuc.;—Dorian adopted at Athens when the Ionian was laid aside. The Dorian χιτών was also worn by Spartan women, being open at the side (σχιστός) , and fastened with περόναι, Hdt.—Over this χιτών was worn the ἱμάτιον. of soldiers, a coat of mail, of leather covered with scales or rings, Il., Hdt. the upper leather of a shoe, in pl., Xen. metaph. any coat, case, or covering, λάϊνος χιτών (v. λάϊνος) ; τειχέων κιθῶνες, i. e. walls, Hdt.; of a serpentʼs skin, Eur. Probably an Oriental word.