collier
n. countablen. a person who works in a coal mine or a ship that carries coal.
n. a coal miner or a vessel specifically designed for the bulk transport of coal. Primarily used in British English or historical nautical contexts.
The old collier spent thirty years working underground.
The harbor was crowded with colliers waiting to unload their heavy cargo of fuel for the city's factories.
During the industrial revolution, the steady arrival of colliers at the port was essential for maintaining the steam-powered machinery that drove the local economy.
Derived from the name of occupation - collier (“charcoal burner”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Refers to both the worker and the ship; the nautical sense is common in historical literature.
Last updated May 6, 2026