Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Word from India: khaki

The English word "khaki" is borrowed from the Urdu adjective khaki, meaning "dust-colored" or "dirt-colored," from the noun khak, meaning "dust, dirt, soil." The word is originally Persian in origin. The word became part of the English language from its use by the British cavalry in India, especially when they started using khaki-colored uniforms during the Boer wars (1899-1902).  In modern English, the plural form "khakis" refers to a khaki-colored pair of pants. You can read more in this Wikipedia article: Khaki.