Borrowed from Hindustani خاکی (xākī) / ख़ाकी (xākī), from Classical Persian خَاکِی (xākī, “dusty, earthy, earth-colored”).
Noun sense 5 was coined in reference to the colour of the uniform of British troops during the Second Boer War; compare rooinek.
de khaki (dust-coloured) · nl kakikleurig (dust-coloured) · hi ख़ाकी (dust-coloured) · ia khaki (dust-coloured) · de kaki (dust-coloured) · vi màu kaki (dust-coloured) · ar خَاكِي (dust-coloured) · ca caqui (dust-coloured) · vi màu khaki (dust-coloured) · it cachi (dust-coloured) · ka ხაკი (dust-coloured) · ru ха́ки (dust-coloured) · ur خاکی (dust-coloured) · cmn 黃褐色 /黄褐色 (dust-coloured) · ia de color khaki (dust-coloured) · ro kaki (dust-coloured) · de khakifarben (dust-coloured) · ka ხაკისფერი (dust-coloured) · pt caqui (dust-coloured) · bg хаки (dust-coloured) · de kakifarben (dust-coloured) · mi pākā kōrito (dust-coloured) · ar كَاكِي (dust-coloured) · fi khakinvärinen (dust-coloured) · pt cáqui (dust-coloured) · eo kakia (dust-coloured) · fa خاکی (dust-coloured) · ja カーキ色 (dust-coloured)
Borrowed from Hindustani خاکی (xākī) / ख़ाकी (xākī), from Classical Persian خَاکِی (xākī, “dusty, earthy, earth-colored”).
Noun sense 5 was coined in reference to the colour of the uniform of British troops during the Second Boer War; compare rooinek.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A dull, yellowish-brown colour, the colour of dust.
But being the right shade of khaki or shit-brown is not enough. 1980, Bill Oddie, Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book, page 60:
When you've shouted "Rule Britannia", when you've sung "God Save The Queen",
When you've finished killing Kruger with your mouth;
Will you kindly drop a shilling in my little tambourine
For a gentleman in khaki ordered South? 1899, Rudyard Kipling, The Absent-Minded Beggar:
(countable, uncountable) Khaki green, a dull green colour.
2007, Yuji Matsuki, American Fighters Over Europe: Colors & Markings of USAAF Fighters in WWII, page 4, →ISBN.
At the end of World War I, the U.S. Army Air Service painted everything khaki. This khaki was practically the same as British PC10 and can be considered the basis of the later olive drab color.
The very loose seroual trousers were made in both sand-khaki drill, and in winter-weight khaki wool for wear with the M1946 battledress blouse. Op. cit., page 56
In these notes we have used the British rather than the US terms for colours: i.e. 'khaki' here means the drab brown - US 'olive drab' - used for woolen uniforms and 'khaki drill' for the pale yellowish tan - US 'khaki' - used for lightweight summer/tropical dress. 2010, Martin Windrow, French Foreign Legion: Infantry and Cavalry since 1945, →ISBN, page 52:
1921, War work of the Bureau of Standards, no. 46, page 54.
The English Government for a long time has used a type of pigmented dope cover, khaki colored by iron pigments and lampblack, which is called P. C. 10.
(countable, uncountable) A strong cloth of wool or cotton, often used for military or other uniforms.
(countable, rare, uncountable) A soldier wearing a khaki uniform.
(South-Africa, countable, derogatory, slang, uncountable) A British person.
"Frank, it's a khaki," I whisper, "keep straight on." 1902, Philip Pienaar, With Steyn And De Wet, Methuen:
War and then victory raised patriotic sentiment inside Britain and brought the Colonial Secretary national popularity. Unionists were quick to milk this with a 'khaki' election in 1900 at which they won a massive landslide. 1997, Richard N. Kelly, John Cantrell, Modern British Statesmen, 1867-1945, page 90:
(countable, in-plural, uncountable) Khaki clothing or uniform.
1915 Out West magazine
The porter in going through the rear coach, which was almost empty, noticed one of the occupants, a muscular, soldierly man in khakies to be apparently asleep in his seat.
ja カーキ色 (yellowish-brown colour) · pt caqui (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · de Khaki (yellowish-brown colour) · es caqui (yellowish-brown colour) · cmn 卡其布 (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · ca caqui (yellowish-brown colour) · pl khaki (yellowish-brown colour) · hu khaki (yellowish-brown colour) · cmn 卡其色 (yellowish-brown colour) · id kaki (yellowish-brown colour) · nl legerkledij (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · it cachi (yellowish-brown colour) · km កាគី (yellowish-brown colour) · th กากี (yellowish-brown colour) · mr खाकी (yellowish-brown colour) · fi khaki (yellowish-brown colour) · fi khakikangas (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · hi ख़ाकी (yellowish-brown colour) · cs khaki (yellowish-brown colour) · ru цвет ха́ки (yellowish-brown colour) · bg хаки (yellowish-brown colour) · ca caqui (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · vi màu kaki (yellowish-brown colour) · ka ხაკისფერი (yellowish-brown colour) · pt cáqui (yellowish-brown colour) · cmn 黃褐色 /黄褐色 (yellowish-brown colour) · de Kaki (yellowish-brown colour) · hy խակի (yellowish-brown colour) · fi khaki (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · ka ხაკი (yellowish-brown colour) · ur خاکی (yellowish-brown colour) · it cachi (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · vi vải khaki (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · es caqui (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · nrf kaki (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · he חָקִי (yellowish-brown colour) · ml ഖാക്കി (yellowish-brown colour) · fa خاکی (yellowish-brown colour) · mi pākā kōrito (yellowish-brown colour) · ks خٲکؠ (yellowish-brown colour) · ru ха́ки (yellowish-brown colour) · nrf kaki (yellowish-brown colour) · vi vải kaki (strong cloth of wool or cotton) · ko 카키색 (yellowish-brown colour) · ro kaki (yellowish-brown colour) · nl kaki (yellowish-brown colour) · uk ха́кі (yellowish-brown colour) · pt caqui (yellowish-brown colour)