blackbirding

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The practice of kidnapping Pacific Islanders, or kanakas, for sale as cheap labour.
verb
  1. present participle and gerund of blackbird

Pronunciation

EN-AU ck1 blackbirding.ogg

Word forms

blackbirding

Etymology

From blackbird + -ing, perhaps from the putative slang blackbird (“indigenous Pacific islander”).

Related words

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