The word "mufti" generally means "civilian dress by a person who is entitled to wear a military uniform." Does anyone know if it can be applied to any kind of uniform? That is, could a nurse go in mufti to her nursing position in a hospital? Or is it only used with military uniforms?

I can't see why not. I seem to remember seeing it used for a group of airline pilots once, so wht not nurses? It should be easily understood.

I've heard it used in a jocular sense by people who don't even wear a uniform as such, for example when you see someone who would normally wear a suit to work in jeans and a T-shirt.

Now here's a thought: would you need to wear mufti if you were taking a shufti at something you weren't supposed to?

Mufti can also mean "an expert in islamic law".

Eliminating that sense, I checked the recent news for mufti meaning "in regular clothes, as opposed to a uniform." It is often used for plainclothes police, which I suppose that's rather similar to military.

But I also found the word used to refer to the clothing of an aristocrat, an actress, a catholic schoolgirl and a priest, when the clothing is other than their usual, identifying style.

Los Angeles Times Magazine, Sep. 4, 2005: It is de rigueur for aristocrats to patronize establishments of low repute and questionable hygiene Be sure to visit such establishments in mufti; acting the swell is sure to get you knocked upon your blue-blooded keister.
The Times (UK), Sep. 11, 2005: Anti-monarchist Helen Mirren tells how she got to grips with playing Elizabeths I and II . … Weeks later, and with filming over, we meet again in London. Elegant in black mufti, Mirren turned 60 a week ago. She looks no more than 45.
Stuff, New Zealand (apparently an arm of the Fairfax papers), Sep. 5, 2005: Cashmere High School girls have new trousers after … the uniform change. … Student Katia De Lu would not be buying the trousers because it was near the end of the school year and in her final year next year she was allowed to wear mufti.
Vanguard, Nigeria, Aug 20, 2005: While two of the reverend fathers were dressed in the traditional white cassock, the third was attired in mufti.

What confuses me is that some of the dictionaries specifically limit the word to "military or police," while others say that it is "civilian dress when wearing a uniform." Which is it? Here are what some of the dictionaries say:

AskOxford: "civilian clothes when worn by military or police staff."
MW: "ordinary dress as distinguished from that denoting an occupation or station <a priest in mufti>; especially : civilian clothes when worn by a person in the armed forces"
AHD: "Civilian dress, especially when worn by one who normally wears a uniform."
Cambridge International: "ordinary clothes worn by people who usually wear uniforms, especially soldiers"
OED: "Plain or civilian clothes worn (in military contexts, by permission only) by a person who normally wears a uniform."

Only the AskOxford definition specifically limits the wearing of mufti to military or police staff. Three others use 'especially' - meaning that other uses can exist; the other one only refers to 'military contexts' in parentheses.

Anyway, I think enough replies have made the point that it has been used referring to people other than members of the armed forces or police. Is your literalism showing again, Kalleh?

What about the Grand Mufti? (!)

quote:

Is your literalism showing again, Kalleh?

I don't think so, arnie. It's just that I had never heard it used, except in the military sense. Yet, people, and apparently some dictionaries, say that it can be.

I will use it that way, then.