noun
- plural of coolie: unskilled laborers, especially those from Asia who worked for low wages
Usage: historical; often considered offensive
Examples
- The railroad was built by thousands of coolies in the 19th century.
- Many coolies were brought from China to work on construction projects.
- The term coolies referred to indentured workers from various Asian countries.
- Historical records show that coolies faced harsh working conditions.
- The use of coolies as cheap labor was common in colonial times.
- Modern historians study the experiences of coolies in different countries.