Definition of the word khaki

The word "khaki" originates from the Hindi and Urdu word "khakī", meaning "dust-colored" or "earth-colored". This word was used to describe the light brown or beige color of the uniforms worn by British colonial officers in India during the 19th century. The British Army adopted this color for their battle dress in 1848, and it became known as "khaki". The color khaki was chosen because it blended well with the dusty terrain of India, allowing soldiers to camouflage themselves during desert and tropical environments. The word "khaki" eventually became synonymous with the color itself, and is now widely used to describe a range of earthy tones in fashion, textiles, and military contexts.