Nearby words
cooling degree-day, cooling tower, cooling-off period, coolly, coolth, cooly, coom, coomaraswamy, coomb, coombs' serum, coon
Definition for cooly (2 of 2)
coolie
or coo·ly
[ koo-lee ]
/ ˈku li /
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
British Dictionary definitions for cooly
coolie
cooly
/ (ˈkuːlɪ) /
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
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