1. Plural of coulisse; a side scene or wing in a theater that can slide in and out to change the stage setting.
Usage: theater; often used in plural
2. A groove or channel, especially one that guides the movement of a sliding part.
Usage: technical; architecture

Examples

• The stage crew adjusted the coulises to create a new backdrop for the second act.
• The theater's coulises allowed for quick scene changes during the performance.
• The machinery used coulises to guide the heavy panels smoothly across the stage.
• Backstage workers pulled the coulises into place before the curtain rose.
• The ornate coulises framed the actors on both sides of the stage.