poilun.
/ˈpwɑːluː/, U.S. /ˈpwɑlu/ colloquial.
A soldier in the French army, esp. one who fought in the First World War (1914–18).
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > soldier by nationality > [noun] > French
piou-piou1854
poilu1914
1914 in Further Lett. from Man of No Importance (1932) 15 I hear dear old Madame Waddington is busy as a bee with comforts for poilus.
1915 G. Adam Behind Scenes at Front 183 France has every reason to be proud of her infantry, the ‘poilus’ as they have been called in this war.
1926 Glasgow Herald 30 Nov. 8 Two poilus who miss the train that should have brought them back to barracks in time for roll-call.
1940 ‘Gun Buster’ Return via Dunkirk i. x. 79 The room was packed with poilus, singing songs.
1966 J. Dos Passos Best Times (1968) ii. 43 The Boche..scattered a few salvoes of artillery..just to keep the poilus on their toes.
1998 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 14 May 10/3 This is the poilu of the trenches, returned to peacetime.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1914