coolie
English
/ˈkuːli/
noun
Definitions
- (offensive) 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.
- (offensive) An Indian or a person of Indian descent.
Etymology
Derived from Hindi क़ुली (laborer) derived from Urdu قلی (hired laborer, slave) derived from Ottoman Turkish قول (servant, sleeve, male slave, arm, branch).
Origin
Ottoman Turkish
قول
Gloss
servant, sleeve, male slave, arm, branch
Concept
Semantic Field
Social and political relations
Ontological Category
Person/Thing
Kanji
腕