coolie Definition
coo·lie (ko̵̅o̅′lē)
noun
- an unskilled native laborer, esp. formerly, in India, China, etc.
- a person doing heavy labor for little pay
Etymology: Hindi qulī, hired servant, prob. < kolī, name of a tribe or caste of Gujarat
coolie Usage Examples
Converse of subject
lead: Three travelers on the bridge, one on horseback led by a coolie.
Adjective modifier
- Chinese: On the scaffold were approximately 20 Chinese coolies who were painting the side of the ship.
- local: Henry Hsu organized local coolies to help carry the supplies.
- Burmese: Some were occupied by POWs and others by Burmese coolies.
Modifies a noun
- hat: Coolie hats were another popular element of Teddy Girl style.
- camp: It then ran through a coolie camp where also there was cholera.
Noun used with modifier
rickshaw: There may be a mission for rickshaw coolies, hut there can never be a church for rickshaw coolies.
Browse dictionary entries near coolie
- ‹ Coolidge
- ‹ coolheaded
- ‹ Cooley's anemia
- ‹ cooler
- ‹ coolant
- ‹ cool it
- ‹ cool-down
- ‹ cool
- ‹ cooky
- ‹ cookware
- cooling degree day ›
- cooling-off period ›
- coolth ›
- coomb ›
- coon ›
- coon cat ›
- coon's age ›
- cooncan ›
- coonskin ›
- coontie ›

