coolie

noun

coo·lie ˈkü-lē

usually offensive

: an unskilled laborer or porter usually in or from the Far East hired for low or subsistence wages

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu qulī

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of coolie was in 1622

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Coolie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coolie. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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