plain clothes
Not in uniform
Plain clothes refers to ordinary civilian dress worn by someone who normally wears a uniform, especially police officers working undercover or detectives: plain-clothes officers, He was arrested by two cops in plain clothes.
The term distinguishes these workers from uniformed counterparts while implying their professional identity remains intact beneath the everyday attire.
Not at work
- muftiIslamic law interpreter
- non-uniformVarying across instances
- casualRelaxed and informal
- streetwearSkate and hip-hop clothing
everyday · informal · ordinary · civilian · attire · garb · outfit · wardrobe
Not readily noticed
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
- camouflageConcealment through visual blending
- unobtrusiveNot readily noticed
- low-profileDeliberately avoiding attention
nondescript · anonymous · unremarkable · ordinary · hidden · subtle · undetectable · incognito
Professional crime investigator
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- stakeoutProlonged covert observation
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- covertIntentionally concealed
incognito · plainclothesman · officer · police · cop · tail · infiltrate · informant
off-duty
Not at work
- muftiIslamic law interpreter
- non-uniformVarying across instances
- casualRelaxed and informal
streetwear · everyday · informal · ordinary · civilian · attire · garb · outfit · wardrobe · jeans
inconspicuous
Not readily noticed
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
- camouflageConcealment through visual blending
- unobtrusiveNot readily noticed
low-profile · nondescript · anonymous · unremarkable · ordinary · hidden · subtle · undetectable · incognito · mufti
detective
Professional crime investigator
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- stakeoutProlonged covert observation
- investigationFormal examination of facts
covert · incognito · plainclothesman · officer · police · cop · tail · infiltrate · informant · sting
- alt fashionpunk, goth, grunge, leather jackets, leather jacket
- camouflagecamouflage, woodland camo, desert camo, urban camo, snow camo
plain clothesuniform
Identical throughout
police uniform · military uniform · dress uniform · badge · regalia
plain clothesceremonial dress
Formal attire for rituals
dress uniform · full regalia · fancy dress · formal attire · finery
plain, clothes, plainly, plainness, plains, plainer, plainest, clothe, cloth