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definitions

cooly

[koo-lee]
|

noun, plural coo·lies, adjective

coolie.

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coolie

or coo·ly

[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.

Origin of coolie

1545–55; < Urdu kūlī < Tamil kūli hire, hireling

Usage 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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cooly

Contemporary Examples of cooly

Historical Examples of cooly

British Dictionary definitions for cooly

coolie

cooly

noun plural -ies

a cheaply hired unskilled Oriental labourer
derogatory an Indian living in South Africa

Word Origin for coolie

C17: from Hindi kulī, probably of Dravidian origin; related to Tamil kūli hire, hireling
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for cooly

coolie

n.

name given by Europeans to hired laborers in India and China, c.1600, from Hindi quli "hired servant," probably from kuli, name of an aboriginal tribe or caste in Gujarat. The name was picked up by the Portuguese, who used it in southern India (where by coincidence kuli in Tamil meant "hire") and in China.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper