Hist. [L. cyclas, a. Gr. κυκλάς a woman’s garment with a border all round it.] A tightly fitting upper garment or tunic worn by women from ancient times; also sometimes by men, esp. the tunic or surcoat made shorter in front than behind, worn by knights over their armor in the 14th century.
1860. Fairholt, Costume, 97. The lady wears a long gown, over which is a cyclas, or tightly-fitting upper-tunic.
1868. Cussans, Her., i. 32. Prince John Plantagenet … is represented … as wearing a Cyclas, which reaches below the knees behind, and to the lower part of the thighs in front, being open at the sides as far as the hips.
1883. M. E. Haweis, in Contemp. Rev., Sept., 425. Judith of Bohemia wore a cyclas worked with gold, in 1083.
¶ Identified or confused with CICLATOUN q.v.; see also Du Cange s.v. Cyclas.
1834. Planché, Brit. Costume, 95. A rich stuff manufactured in the Cyclades, and therefore called cyclas or ciclaton, gave its name to a garment like a dalmatica or super-tunic worn by both sexes.
1876. Rock, Text. Fabr., iv. 27.
