You’re probably wearing something right now that wouldn't exist—at least not by its current name—without the Indian subcontinent. It’s funny how language works. We think of "pajamas" as a cozy Sunday morning staple and "khaki" as the unofficial uniform of office casual or rugged hiking, but these words are deep-rooted travelers. They didn't just appear in the English dictionary by magic. They are linguistic survivors of the colonial era, specifically born from Hindi and Urdu, two languages so closely intertwined in their spoken form (often called Hindustani) that they provided the British Empire with an entirely new vocabulary for comfort and war.
Most people don't realize that when they talk about their clothes, they are actually speaking a bit of 19th-century Hindustani. It’s not just a "fun fact" for trivia night. It’s a reflection of how global trade, military necessity, and a whole lot of sweating in the heat of Delhi and Mumbai changed the way the Western world thinks about fabric.
The Persian Roots of Your Sleepwear
The word "pajama" comes from the Hindustani pae-jama, which literally translates to "leg garment." If you want to get technical about it—and we should—the roots go even further back to Persian. Pāy means leg, and jāma means garment. Simple. Direct.
But here’s the thing: in India, these weren't just for sleeping. They were lightweight, drawstring trousers worn by almost everyone because, frankly, wearing heavy European wool in a 104-degree monsoon is a recipe for heatstroke. When British colonials arrived, they saw these loose-fitting pants and realized they were onto something. Before this, Europeans mostly slept in long nightshirts that looked like oversized dresses. The "pajama" was a revelation of mobility and modesty.
By the time the trend hit London and New York, the spelling had shifted, and the use case had narrowed down to the bedroom. We kept the word, but we lost the context of them being everyday streetwear. Today, whether you spell it "pyjama" (the British way) or "pajama" (the American way), you’re referencing a Persian-influenced Indian design that basically killed the nightshirt.
Khaki: From Dust to the Runway
Then there’s khaki. This word is even more gritty. In Hindi and Urdu, khaki literally means "dust-colored" or "earth-colored," derived from khak (dust).
The story of how it became a global fashion staple starts in 1846 with Sir Harry Lumsden. He was commanding a Guide Corps in Peshawar and realized his troops were sitting ducks in their bright, traditional white uniforms. White is great for parades; it’s terrible for not getting shot. Lumsden decided to camouflage his men. Legend has it they used a mix of mud, river water, and even mulberry juice to stain their white clothes a dull, brownish-yellow that matched the local terrain.
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It worked. Too well, actually.
By the late 19th century, the British Army adopted "khaki" as the official shade for active service. It was the birth of modern camouflage. But it didn't stay on the battlefield. After WWII, surplus khakis flooded the civilian market. Veterans wore them back home, and suddenly, the "dust-colored" trousers of the Punjab were the uniform of the American middle class and Hollywood icons like Steve McQueen.
The Linguistic Bridge Between Hindi and Urdu
Wait, is it Hindi or is it Urdu? Honestly, for the purpose of these loanwords, it's often both. While Hindi and Urdu use different scripts—Devanagari and Perso-Arabic—their spoken foundation in northern India is remarkably similar. This shared tongue, Hindustani, was the "lingua franca" of the British Raj.
When a British officer in the 1850s asked for his "pajamas" or ordered a shipment of "khaki" cloth, he was navigating a linguistic middle ground.
- Hindi draws more from Sanskrit.
- Urdu leans more toward Persian and Arabic.
Since both "pajama" and "khaki" have heavy Persian influences, they entered English through the Urdu-heavy influence of the military and administration centers. But if you walk through the streets of Lucknow or Delhi today, you'll hear these words used naturally in both languages. It’s a shared heritage that English just happened to borrow—and never gave back.
Why This Matters for Modern Fashion
We take these words for granted, but they represent a massive shift in how humans dress. Before the influence of Hindi and Urdu on the English wardrobe, Western clothing was notoriously rigid. Think corsets, heavy wools, and layers upon layers of restrictive fabric.
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The introduction of the pajama and khaki cloth wasn't just about names; it was about the West adopting Eastern philosophies of utility and comfort.
Think about the "chino." While often associated with Spanish origins, the lightweight cotton twill used to make them is a direct descendant of the khaki military tradition. We are still living in the shadow of 19th-century Indian textile innovation. The "athleisure" trend of today? You can trace a direct line from your Lululemon joggers back to the pae-jama worn in the Mughal courts.
Other Words You Didn't Know Were Indian
It’s not just your closet. Hindi and Urdu are all over your house. If you’ve ever sat on a bungalow porch (from bangla, meaning a house in the Bengal style) or cleaned up a shampoo spill (from chāmpo, meaning to massage or knead), you’re speaking the same linguistic history.
Even the word thug has a dark, complex history involving the "Thuggee" cults of India, though that's a much heavier story than your favorite pair of pants. The point is, the English language is a kleptomaniac. It sees something useful, takes it, and eventually forgets where it came from.
Practical Insights for the Language Curious
If you want to dive deeper into how these languages continue to influence our world, you don't need a PhD in linguistics. You just need to look at your surroundings with a bit more skepticism.
Check your labels. Look for "Pima" or "Egyptian" cotton, but remember that the weaving techniques for lightweight, durable cotton twills—the stuff that makes khakis possible—were perfected in the Indian subcontinent long before they reached the mills of Lancashire.
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Trace the etymology. Sites like Etymonline are great, but they often stop at "Persian" or "Hindi." Look into the Mughal Empire's influence on Persian-Indian fusion. That is where the real "fashion week" of the 17th century was happening.
Acknowledge the source. Next time you’re buying "khakis," remember you’re literally asking for "dust." It changes the way you look at a color that most people find boring. It wasn't designed to be boring; it was designed to be invisible in a desert.
Moving Forward with This Knowledge
Understanding the origin of "pajama" and "khaki" isn't just a vocabulary lesson. It’s a way to decolonize your own wardrobe and appreciate the massive, often uncredited, intellectual and cultural labor of South Asia.
To really grasp the impact:
- Research the "Guides" of Peshawar: Look up the history of the Corps of Guides to see the first-ever khaki uniforms in action. The photos are striking.
- Explore Hindustani: If you're a language learner, don't just pick "Hindi" or "Urdu." Look into the history of Hindustani to understand how these two languages functioned as one for centuries.
- Support South Asian Textiles: The regions that gave us these words are still the heart of the global textile industry. If you value the history, look for brands that prioritize ethical sourcing from India and Pakistan, where the pae-jama tradition began.
Language isn't static. It’s a living map of where we’ve been and who we’ve met. Every time you button up your khakis or slip into your pajamas, you’re participating in a conversation that’s been going on for over two hundred years across three different continents.