Khaki

Khaki, in British or European parlance, is a type of green tinged brown fabric, or the colour of such fabric. Traditionally pronounced IPA: {{IPA|}}, it is today more often called {{IPA|}} in Britain and {{IPA|}} in the USA. The name comes from the Persian khak meaning earth-coloured or dust coloured (through the Urdu language). The original khaki fabric is a closely twilled cloth of linen or cotton.

Related Topics:
Fabric - Colour - IPA - Persian - Urdu language - Linen - Cotton

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Brigadier Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden began the use of Khaki for British Army regiments serving under him in India in 1848. All British troops in India adopted khaki in 1885 having previously used white as the tropical colour. The Boers used khaki clothing as camouflage in the first Boer War; in the second Boer War the British did as well.

Related Topics:
Brigadier - Harry Burnett Lumsden - British Army - India - 1848 - 1885 - Boer - Camouflage - Boer War

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The United States Army adoped khaki, where it means a greenish tan or sand colour, 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 South Asian countries. It has also spread to civilian clothing, where "khakis" since the 1950s has meant tan cotton twill trousers. Today, civilian khakis come in all ranges of colours, and the term seems to refer more to the particular design or cut of the trousers.

Related Topics:
United States Army - Spanish American War - Military uniforms - Militaries - United States Navy - United States Marine Corps - Civilian

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"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-coloured uniform, also referred to as "khakis".)

Related Topics:
Chief petty officer - Officer - Uniform

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