Cottoneer

/ˌkɑtənˈir/ noun

Definition

a person who works in the cotton industry, such as a cotton trader, manufacturer, or plantation operator.

Etymology

From 'cotton' (the fiber plant) plus the occupational suffix '-eer' (one who engages in an activity). It emerged during the Industrial Revolution as cotton became a major industry.

Kelly Says

Cottoneers in 18th-century Britain and America were often incredibly wealthy and politically powerful—the cotton industry was so profitable and so horrifically dependent on slavery that it literally shaped nations and caused wars.

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