poilu

American  

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

noun

poilus plural

1. a French common soldier.

---

poilu British  

/ ˈpwɑːluː, pwaly /

noun

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

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• poilus
  plural

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

Similarly they say that a poilu stamp would be a testimonial to heroes who have no equal in the wide world.

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

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

From Time Magazine Archive

In World War II, Father Bruckberger enlisted as a poilu, later volunteered for the French Commandos.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Oui, monsieur, oui," replied the poilu, proud of his newly acquired Marine Corps English, "he have—what you call—pushed over."

From The Stars and Stripes The American Soldiers' Newspaper of World War I, 1918-1919 by United States. Army. American Expeditionary Forces