1. Plural of coalpit; mines or excavations where coal is extracted from the ground.
Usage: Chiefly British; Often used historically to refer to coal mines

Examples

• The region was dotted with coalpits that employed thousands of workers.
• During the Industrial Revolution, coalpits became the backbone of the economy.
• Many families in the area had relatives working in the coalpits.
• The coalpits were eventually closed as coal mining declined in the country.
• Safety conditions in the coalpits were often poor in the 19th century.