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

Quickly, agents in plain clothes and masks grabbed the man and pushed him into the women’s bathroom. —Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 20 June 2025

Last week, The Bee and attorneys for immigrants witnessed authorities dressed in plain clothes detain 12 people inside and around the federal building. —Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 15 June 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