noun, plural poi·lus /-luz; French -ˈlü/ Show Spelled [-looz; French -ly] Show IPA . a French common soldier.
Origin: 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 -ate1 (
e >
oi by influence of
poil hair <
Latin pilus)