Coolie vs. Porter — What's the Difference?

A coolie (also spelled koelie, kuli, cooli, cooly, or quli) is an outdated, offensive, and racist term for a low-wage laborer, typically of South Asian descent.The word coolie was first popularized in the 16th century by European traders across Asia, and by the 18th century would refer to migrant Indian indentured laborers, and by the 19th century, would gain a new definition of the systematic shipping and hiring of Asian workers under contract on plantations that had been formerly worked by enslaved Africans. The word has had a variety of other implications and is sometimes regarded as offensive or a pejorative, depending upon the historical and geographical context; in India, its country of origin, it is still considered a derogatory slur.

A person employed to carry burdens, especially an attendant who carries travelers' baggage at a hotel or transportation station.

An unskilled Asian laborer.

A railroad employee who waits on passengers in a sleeping car or parlor car.

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.

A maintenance worker for a building or institution.

An Indian or a person of Indian descent.

One in charge of a gate or door.

Same as Cooly.

A dark beer resembling light stout, made from malt browned or charred by drying at a high temperature.

An offensive name for an unskilled Asian laborer

A person who carries luggage and related objects.

(entomology) An ant having the specialized role of carrying.

(computing) One who ports software (makes it usable on another platform).

A person in control of the entrance to a building.

(bowling) An employee who clears and cleans tables and puts bowling balls away.

(beer) A strong, dark ale, originally favored by porters (etymology 1, sense 1), similar to a stout but less strong.

Stout (malt brew).

To serve as a porter; to carry.

A man who has charge of a door or gate; a doorkeeper; one who waits at the door to receive messages.

A carrier; one who carries or conveys burdens, luggage, etc.; for hire.

A bar of iron or steel at the end of which a forging is made; esp., a long, large bar, to the end of which a heavy forging is attached, and by means of which the forging is lifted and handled in hammering and heating; - called also porter bar.

A malt liquor, of a dark color and moderately bitter taste, possessing tonic and intoxicating qualities.

A person employed to carry luggage and supplies

Someone who guards an entrance

United States writer of novels and short stories (1890-1980)

United States composer and lyricist of musical comedies (1891-1946)

United States writer of short stories whose pen name was O. Henry (1862-1910)

A railroad employee who assists passengers (especially on sleeping cars)

A very dark sweet ale brewed from roasted unmalted barley

Carry luggage or supplies;