plainclothes

1 of 2

adjective

plain·​clothes ˈplān-ˈklō(t͟h)z 

: dressed in civilian clothes while on duty

—used especially of a police officer

plain clothes

2 of 2

noun

: civilian clothes : the dress of an ordinary citizen

… he had brought in a stenographer, more cops, and an older man in plain clothes.

—E. L. Doctorow

—used especially in describing the clothes of a police officer

a detective in plain clothes

Examples of plainclothes in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In the early morning hours of February 4, 1999, Amadou was standing outside his building when four white plainclothes officers drove by. —CBS News, 9 June 2020

The agents are part of the Ohio Investigative Unit, which is made up of plainclothes peace officers responsible for enforcing Ohio’s alcohol, tobacco and food stamp fraud laws. —Sean McDonnell/akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati.com, 22 May 2020

Noun

Democratic lawmakers have drawn attention to the Turkish national who was detained by officers in plain clothes as shown in a viral recording that captured the Fulbright scholar screaming while being removed. —Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 4 Apr. 2025

Federal agents in plain clothes and face masks arrested her. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1856, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1822, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for plainclothes

• agarose
• aliquots
• amigos
• anthracnose
• bottlenose
• buffaloes
• bungalows
• calicoes
• cameos
• commandos
• conversos
• decompose

Legal Definition

plainclothes

adjective

plain·​clothes ˈplān-ˈklōz, -ˈklōt͟hz 

: dressed in civilian clothes while on duty

—used especially of a police officer