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coolie
[ koo-lee ]
noun
Disparaging and Offensive.
- an unskilled laborer, especially formerly in China and India.
- an unskilled laborer employed cheaply, especially one brought from Asia.
- a contemptuous term used to refer to an Asian, especially an Indian living in South Africa.
adjective
- Informal. characteristic of or suitable for a coolie:
working for coolie wages.
coolie
/ ˈːɪ /
noun
- a cheaply hired unskilled Oriental labourer
- derogatory.an Indian living in South Africa
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Sensitive Note
Both meanings of “unskilled Asian laborer” are found almost exclusively in historical contexts, suggesting imperialistic exploitation of these workers. But coolie is still current as an insulting term used to refer to a person of Asian descent, especially in South Africa.
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51Թ History and Origins
Origin of coolie1
First recorded in 1545–55; from Urdu ūī, from Tamil ū “hire, hireling”
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51Թ History and Origins
Origin of coolie1
C17: from Hindi ܱī, probably of Dravidian origin; related to Tamil ū hire, hireling
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