mufti

The term "mufti" has an unusual history linked to British military life. It comes from mufti, a Muslim legal scholar. In British use, the word later came to mean ordinary clothes worn by someone who usually wears a uniform.

Today, it is most often used for civilian clothing worn by soldiers, police officers, or other uniformed workers. A soldier on leave or an officer working in plain clothes may be described as being "in mufti." The term highlights the shift from official dress to everyday clothing.

The word mufti has a layered history. It comes from the Arabic word mufti, which refers to a Muslim legal scholar, and it entered English through colonial-era British usage. Over time, the word took on a new meaning in British English: ordinary clothes worn by someone who would normally be in uniform.

That clothing sense is now the main one in everyday English. If a soldier, sailor, police officer, or similar worker is dressed in civilian clothes instead of official uniform, they can be described as being "in mufti." The phrase often suggests that the person is off duty, on leave, or trying not to stand out.

The word has a clear practical flavor. It is not just any casual outfit; it usually matters because the person is normally recognized by a uniform. In British English, the idea also appears in school life through "mufti days," when students are allowed to wear their own clothes instead of school uniform.

In religious and historical contexts, mufti still keeps its older meaning of an Islamic legal scholar. In modern general English, though, the word most often brings to mind plain clothes replacing uniform.