coup d'état

Multiple Entries:
  coup d'état    coup  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
coup d'état /ˌkuː deɪˈtɑː/

▶noun (pl. coups d'état pronunc. same) see coup (sense 1).

– origin Fr., lit. ‘blow of state’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
coup /kuː/

▶noun (pl. coups /kuːz/)

• 1 (also coup d'état) a sudden violent seizure of power from a government.

• 2 an unexpected and notably successful act.

• 3 Billiards a direct pocketing of the cue ball, which is a foul stroke.

• 4 historical (among North American Indians) an act of touching an enemy, as a deed of bravery.

– origin C18: from Fr., from med. L. colpus (see cope1).