coureur de bois

[koo-rœr duh bwah]

noun

French.

plural

coureurs de bois 

1. a French or French-Indian trapper of North America, especially of Canada.

coureur de bois

/ kurœr də bwa /

noun

1. Canadian history a French Canadian woodsman or Métis who traded with Indians for furs

Word History and Origins

Origin of coureur de bois¹

Literally, “runner, hunter of (the) woods”

Word History and Origins

Origin of coureur de bois¹

Canadian French: trapper (literally: wood-runner)