noun

collier

A person who mines coal.

The collier works deep in the coal mine.

Etymology

Old English col means coal, and -ier forms an occupational name. A collier is someone whose work concerns coal, particularly the miner who extracts it.

More examples

  • Several colliers emerged after the shift.
  • His grandfather had been a collier.
  • The museum displays tools once used by local colliers.

Forms

collier · colliers

Similar words

miner
Someone extracting any mineral, not only coal.