Khaki
/ˈkɑːki/noun
A light brownish-yellow color or a durable cotton fabric used for uniforms and casual clothing.
Did you know?The word entered English through British India from Urdu, where it meant “dust-colored,” and the cloth became famous because armies wanted soldiers to blend into the landscape instead of standing out.
Etymological Timeline
Persian
Persian
khāk
“dust; earth”
19th Century
Urdu
khākī
“dust-colored; earthy”
19th Century
English
khaki
“dust-colored cloth or uniform fabric adopted for military use”
Modern English
English
khaki
“a light brownish-yellow color; the fabric or garments made from it”