coureurs

Coureurs is the masculine plural noun in French that designates people who run or race. The singular form is coureur, and the feminine forms are coureuse (singular) and coureuses (plural). The term derives from courir, meaning to run, and is used in a range of contexts to describe someone who runs, whether on foot or in competition.

In contemporary usage, coureurs most often appear in sports. In athletics, a coureur is a runner, while in cycling the term is standard for a professional rider in road racing, commonly seen in phrases like “coureurs cyclistes.” In media and reporting, “les coureurs” can refer collectively to the participants in a race, such as the Tour de France, where the peloton consists of numerous coureurs.

Historical and related uses include the compound coureurs des bois, meaning forest runners, who were French-Canadian fur traders active in the early colonial period. Although the compound is separate from the general plural coureurs, it illustrates how the root word has appeared in specialized historical contexts.

Coureurs is a gendered term in French grammar, with the feminine form coureuses. The word remains a straightforward descriptor in most everyday and journalistic texts, serving as a generic label for runners and racers in sports and related discussions.