olive drab

American  

noun

plural

olive drabs

1. a deep olive color.

2. woolen cloth of this color, used especially for U.S. Army uniforms.

3. a military uniform made from this cloth.

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olive drab British  

noun

1. 1. a dull but fairly strong greyish-olive colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      an olive-drab jacket

2.  OD.  cloth or clothes in this colour, esp the uniform of the US Army

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Etymology

Origin of olive drab

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Others suggested Army Air Corps camouflage: dark olive drab, medium green, neutral gray.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

But the armed men with severe expressions who appeared in the doorway were wearing military uniforms different from the olive drab fatigues she had seen on Israeli soldiers.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2023

He was immediately given special status as a “prodigy athlete” that allowed him to put aside the IDF olive drab in favor of Maccabi blue and yellow and now Wizards red and blue.

From Washington Post • Nov. 30, 2020

A cropped sequined black moto jacket/bolero with leg-of-mutton sleeves came matched with an olive drab corset atop a camo ruffled skirt.

From New York Times • Feb. 10, 2020

In addition to the vice minister of justice, Russian doctors, dignitaries from other health organizations, and ten Russian generals in olive drab uniforms sat on one side of the assembled tables.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Related Words

• attire
• costume
• dress
• garb
• gown
• khaki
• regalia
• robe
• suit