maquiladora

ma·qui·la·do·ra

noun \mə-ˌkē-lə-ˈdȯr-ə, -ˈthȯr-\

Definition of MAQUILADORA

: a foreign-owned factory in Mexico at which imported parts are assembled by lower-paid workers into products for export

Origin of MAQUILADORA

Mexican Spanish (planta, empresa) maquiladora, from maquilar to process (material) for a fee, from maquila processing fee, multure, from Spanish, multure, from Arabic dialect makīla measure of grain

First Known Use: 1976