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Further to JF's explanation:
Mufti (as an English word) means ordinary clothes as opposed to a uniform. The word first appeared in this sense early in the 19th century, and turned up often in popular fiction through until about the middle of the 20th century. The word mufti is probably regarded these days as politically incorrect, or culturally insensitive, since mufti was originally an Arabic (Islamic) word meaning the head of the Muslim religion in a particular state. This senior Imam, or expounder of the Koran, was called the Grand Mufti, or simply the Mufti. British colonisers adopted the word facetiously, since it was suggested that off duty colonels (based in Egypt or Turkey or the like) would relax in their dressing gown, smoking-cap and slippers, and (thus attired) rather resembled the local Mufti. And so this casual, off duty, non-uniform, appearance came to be called mufti.
From the Classic FM Word of the Day site. |
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