poilu

American  

[pwah-loo, pwa-ly] / ˈpwɑ lu, pwaˈlü /

noun

plural

poilus

1. a French common soldier.

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poilu British  

/ ˈpwɑːluː, pwaly /

noun

1. an infantryman in the French Army, esp one in the front lines in World War I

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Etymology

Origin of poilu

1910–15; < French, in earlier slang: tough individual, tough, brave, literally, hairy, haired; Middle French, Old French pelu ( cf. plew) < Vulgar Latin *pilūtus, equivalent to Latin pil ( us ) hair + Vulgar Latin *-ūtus, for Latin -ātus -ate ¹ ( e > oi by influence of poil hair < Latin pilus )

Example Sentences

"The bands were still playing in 1915," she recalls, "and the French poilu still wore red trousers."

From Time Magazine Archive

In modern France some garrison commanders punish with two days in "clink" a poilu found playing with a Yo-Yo, consider it a menace to discipline.

From Time Magazine Archive

Totally unexpected, M. Maginot, Minister of War and himself a poilu during the War, swooped down upon the camps to inspect the food of the poilus, who, according to Paris smalltalk, are not properly fed.

From Time Magazine Archive

Then from Berlin came a remarkable letter of response from Herr Hitler, "as one old front fighter," to "Herr" Daladier as another: German corporal to French poilu.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Bring them up!" said the officer to a soldier, and the poilu scrambled down the steps and came up with a bird cage containing two birds.

From The A.E.F. With General Pershing and the American Forces by Broun, Heywood