poilu

noun

poi·​lu pwäl-ˈyü How to pronounce poilu (audio)
pwä-ˈlü;
ˈpwäl-ˌyü,
ˈpwä-ˌlü;
pwä-ˈlᵫ How to pronounce poilu (audio)
: a French soldier
especially : a front-line soldier in World War I

Word History

Etymology

French, from poilu hairy, from Middle French, from poil hair, from Old French peil, Latin pilus

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poilu was in 1914

Dictionary Entries Near poilu

poil

poilu

poimenics

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Poilu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poilu. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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