Dictionary

poilu

/pwa.ly/

adjective/pwa.ly/

hairy; brave, courageous; energetic

Synonyms: velu, courageux

Antonyms: glabre

From poil + -u; compare Spanish peludo. The figurative sense entered the language through French military slang.

noun, masculine/pwa.ly/plural: poilus

poilu (French soldier during World War I)

From poil + -u; compare Spanish peludo. The figurative sense entered the language through French military slang.