couloir

[ kool-wahr; French koo-lwar ]

/ kulˈwɑr; French kuˈlwar /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR couloir ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural cou·loirs [kool-wahrz, French koo-lwar] /kulˈwɑrz, French kuˈlwar/.

a steep gorge or gully on the side of a mountain, especially in the Alps.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby couloir

coulee, coulibiac, coulibiaca, coulis, coulisse, couloir, coulomb, coulomb field, coulomb force, coulomb's law, coulometer

Origin of couloir

1850–55; < French: literally, colander < Late Latin cōlātōrium strainer, equivalent to Latin cōlā(re) to strain, filter + -tōrium -tory²; see coulee

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for couloir

The place they were now in was a very steep, chimney-like rock gully, such as would be known in Alpine parlance as a ‘couloir.’
The White Hand and the Black|Bertram Mitford
None came, and we felt gratified at this confirmation of our judgment as to the safety of this part of the couloir.
Adventures on the Roof of the World|Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond
We will go up this couloir,” he said; “it will be the best, and it will give the young herr his first lesson in climbing snow.
The Crystal Hunters|George Manville Fenn
My hat blew off here, and rolled on its stiffened brim at a tremendous pace down a couloir of ice.
Adventures on the Roof of the World|Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond

We saw clearly that it was only the early hour, before the sun was yet upon the couloir, which protected us from danger.
True Tales of Mountain Adventures|Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond

British Dictionary definitions for couloir

couloir

/ (ˈkuːlwɑː, French kulwar) /

noun

a deep gully on a mountain side, esp in the French Alps

Word Origin for couloir

C19: from French: corridor, from couler to pour; see coulee

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

couloir

noun, plural cou·loirs [kool-wahrz, French koo-lwar] /kulˈwɑrz, French kuˈlwar/.

QUIZZES

Words related to couloir

Words nearby couloir

Origin of couloir

Example sentences from the Web for couloir

British Dictionary definitions for couloir

noun

Word Origin for couloir