service uniform
Noun (countable and uncountable): - Standard military or official attire for daily duty: A "service uniform" is the standardised clothing worn by members of a military, police, or other uniformed organisation for routine work, as opposed to formal dress or combat gear. It is designed for practicality and everyday use.
- (The standard daily clothing for military duty.)
- (The everyday uniform for official work.)
- (The regular attire for routine duties.)
"in service uniform": dressed in the standard daily uniform.
- The cadets were photographed in service uniform. (They were wearing their everyday military clothing.)
"service uniform vs. dress uniform": a distinction between practical daily wear and formal ceremonial attire.
- For the parade, officers wore dress uniforms, but for training, they wore service uniforms. (Dress uniforms are more formal; service uniforms are for routine use.)
Service dress (n): a synonym for service uniform, often used in British English.
- The airman's service dress was regulation. (His standard daily uniform followed official rules.)
Dress uniform (n): a formal uniform worn for ceremonies or special occasions.
- The general wore a dress uniform with medals for the banquet. (A more formal version compared to service uniform.)
Combat uniform (n): a uniform designed for field operations and combat.
- The troops changed from service uniform to combat uniform before deployment. (A different type for active fighting.)
- Daily uniform: the uniform worn for ordinary duties.
- Standard uniform: the regular, non-ceremonial clothing.
- Fatigues (specifically for military): informal term for work uniforms.
- The soldiers were in fatigues for the maintenance task. (Another word for service uniform in casual military speech.)
"In uniform": a general phrase meaning wearing official clothing of a service.
- He is always in uniform when on duty. (He wears his service uniform while working.)
"Service stripes": insignia worn on a service uniform to indicate years of service.
- His service stripes on the sleeve showed ten years of duty. (Decorative marks on the uniform.)
- "Service uniform" is distinct from "dress uniform" (formal) and "combat uniform" (field gear). It is the most common type of uniform for everyday work in military, police, and similar organisations.