Paki

Either a clipping of Pakistani or a back-formation from Pakistan. Doublet of Pak.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpæki/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -æki

Paki (plural Pakis) (offensive, ethnic slur)

1. (UK, Canada, India) A Pakistani.
2. (UK, Canada, by extension) Anyone whose origins are perceived to be from South Asia/the Indian subcontinent.
   • 1970 March 29, Nik Cohn, “England's New Teen Style Is Violence”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:

     Their byword is Aggro (Aggravation) and their crucial enemies are hippies, homosexuals and Pakis (Pakistanis or Indians).

   • Paragraph 2, DPP v Collins ( 1 WLR 2223)

     In these telephone calls and recorded messages the respondent, who held strong views on immigration and asylum policy and the provision of public support to immigrants and applicants for asylum, ranted and shouted and made reference to "Wogs", "Pakis", "Black bastards" and […] "Niggers".

3. (UK, Ireland) Ellipsis of Paki shop.

Paki acquired offensive connotations in the 1960s when used by British tabloids to refer to subjects of former colonies in a derogatory and racist manner. In modern British usage "Paki" is typically a derogatory label referring to South Asians beyond Pakistan, including those from India, Afghanistan and elsewhere. To a lesser extent, it has also been applied to Arabs and others perceived to resemble South Asians.

In recent times there has been a trend by second and third-generation British Pakistanis to reclaim the word, so that it can be used between young British Pakistanis, but not by outsiders, even Indians and Bangladeshis.

In other English-speaking countries such as the US, Paki is sometimes encountered as a term meant without offence (perhaps due to the mistaken belief that Pakistan derives its name from an ethnic group like other -stan countries) – see for example US President George W. Bush's statement that he was "working hard to convince both the Indians and the Pakis". However, this risks causing considerable offence and should be avoided.^[1]

Paki (not comparable)

1. (British, Canada, derogatory, ethnic slur) Pakistani, or perceived to be Pakistani.

• Paki shop
• Pakiland

• Paik, kipa, pika

Borrowed from English Paki.

• IPA^(key): /pa.ki/

• Audio:

  (file)

Paki m (plural Pakis)

1. (ethnic slur) Paki (offensive term for a Pakistani)