noun
coup
koo
noun
1
A sudden, illegal seizure of power from a government, often by the military.
"The general led a coup that ousted the president overnight."
2
A brilliant and highly successful move or achievement.
"Landing that client was a real coup for the small agency."
How to Use Coup
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden overthrow of a government, or more loosely, an impressive and unexpected success.
Common mistake
Often shortened informally from "coup d'état," but "coup" alone is standard in everyday English.
Common pairings
stage a coup
coup d'état
pull off a coup
Word Forms
couped past tense, couped past tense, coups plural, coups singular, coups singular
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The general led a _____ that ousted the president overnight.
Etymology
From French coup ("blow, strike"), from Late Latin colpus — the same root that gives "cope" in one of its senses.