plain clothes

or plainclothes

plural noun

1. clothing other than one's uniform, especially civilian clothes worn on duty by a police officer.

plain clothes

plural noun

1. 1. ordinary clothes, as distinguished from uniform, as worn by a police detective on duty
   2. ( as modifier )

      a plain-clothes policeman

Other Words From

• plain-clothes plainclothes adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plain clothes¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

We pulled plain-clothes cops in to stake out different neighborhoods.

From The Daily Beast

The Mukhabarat had appeared, in plain clothes, from nowhere.

From The Daily Beast

White vans and scores of men in plain clothes pop up from nowhere.

From The Daily Beast

Outside at the taxi stand, the men approached and finally identified themselves: They turned out to be plain-clothes police.

From The Daily Beast

In less than five minutes, about four police officers and several men in plain clothes came running to the scene.

From The Daily Beast

The door opened and a plain clothes detective entered the office.

From Project Gutenberg

Ten minutes later, after the sergeant had changed into plain clothes, the trio set out along the flat, muddy road for Asheldham.

From Project Gutenberg

There were a lot of cops up there, a lot of plain clothes men and lads from the homicide bureau.

From Project Gutenberg

Captain Greenleaf, with one of the plain-clothes men of his force, came hurrying up the steps.

From Project Gutenberg

The latest addition to the Furmville plain-clothes squad remembered how carefully Morley's hands had been manicured.

From Project Gutenberg