khaki

khaki (kăk'ē, kä'kē) [key][Hindi,=dust-colored], closely twilled cloth of linen or cotton, dyed a dust color. It was first used (1848) for uniforms for the English regiment of Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden in India and later became the official color for British army uniforms, as well as for those of other countries. It became popular for hunting and outdoor wear, as in the uniforms of groups such as the Boy Scouts, and for heavy working clothes.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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