coolie

English - Turkish

Definition of coolie in English Turkish dictionary

vasıfsız işçi

{i} amele

{i} hamal

{i} vasifsiz isçi

English - English

Definition of coolie in English English dictionary

In Trinidad, West Indies, Guyana, and parts of Africa slang for a person of Indian descent. Nowadays often considered derogatory

An unskilled Asian worker, usually of Chinese or Indian descent; a labourer; a porter. Coolies were frequently transported to other countries in the 19th and early 20th centuries as indentured labourers

An East Indian porter or carrier; a laborer transported from the East Indies, China, or Japan, for service in some other country

a very offensive word for an unskilled worker who is paid very low wages, especially in parts of Asia. Do not use this word. (kuli)

{i} highly derogatory term used for an unskilled Asian worker (also spelled cooly)

an offensive name for an unskilled Asian laborer

Same as Cooly

Related Terms

coolies

plural of coolie

coolies

The lowest paid unskilled laborers of, or from, China, India or other highly populated Asiatic areas

Hyphenation

cool·ie

Etymology

() From Hindustani क़ुली / قلی (qulī), which means "hired laborer" or "slave", from Turkish köle. Other forms occur in Bengali kuli and Tamil kuli, "daily hire." The Mandarin word 苦力 (kǔlì), was originally a transcription of the Hindi, and literally means "bitterly hard (use of) strength".