Khaki

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that Khaki (color) be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Khaki, in British or European parlance, is a type of light brown fabric with a green tinge, or the color of such fabric. Traditionally pronounced IPA: ['kʰaki], it is today more often called ['kʰɑkʰi] in Britain and ['kʰækʰi] in the USA. The name comes from the Persian word khak (soil) which came to English from India, specifically via the British Indian Army. Khaki was derived from the Hindi/Hindustani loan word meaning earth-colored or dust colored, referring to the colour of uniforms introduced by the army regiments in the 1880s. Some maintain that the word Khaki is a derivative of the Old Irish Cack, Caca/i meaning manure or dirt, and that a habit of Irish Soldiers in the British Indian Army of staining with dirt, dust or tea their White Shirts and Helmets as an early form of camouflage formed the word. This version of the origin of the word khaki is probably without substance.

In 1846 Sir Harry Lumsden raised a corps of Guides for frontier service from Indian recruits at Peshwar. These were clothed in loose fitting clothing dyed a drab colour. During the Indian Mutiny of 1857 a number of British regiments followed this example dying their white summer uniforms khaki. Khaki then ceased to be used in India (except by the Guides) until the Second Afghan War when both khaki and red clothing was worn. The practical advantages of khaki were now well established and by 1880 most British regiments serving in India had adopted properly dyed khaki uniforms for active service and summer dress. The original khaki fabric was a closely twilled cloth of linen or cotton. The British army used khaki in the Second Boer War (1899-1902) and adopted a darker shade of khaki serge for home service dress in 1902.

The United States Army adopted khaki, where it means a greenish tan or sand color, during the Spanish American War. It has become de rigueur for military uniforms of militaries the world over (e.g. the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps), as well as the police forces of many U.S. states and counties, and South Asian countries. It has also spread to civilian clothing, where "khakis" since the 1950s has meant tan cotton twill pants. Today, civilian khakis come in all ranges of colors, and the term seems to refer more to the particular design or cut of the pants.

Khaki bush clothing was also made famous by the late Australian "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.

"Khaki" has also become a common slang term in the United States Navy that refers to chief petty officers and officers (who wear a khaki-colored uniform, also referred to as "khakis".) The word 'khak' is also the origin of a mild expletive ('cack') meaning excrement.

Khakis have also become popular as business casual pants.