coup

¹ American  

[koo] / ku /

noun

coups plural

1. a highly successful, unexpected stroke, act, or move; a clever action or accomplishment.

2. (among the Plains Indians of North America) a brave or reckless deed performed in battle by a single warrior, as touching or striking an enemy warrior without sustaining injury oneself.

3. coup d'état.

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idioms

1. count coup, (among Plains Indians of North America)

   1. to perform a coup.

   2. to recount or relate the coups one has performed.

coup ² American  

[kohp, koop] / koʊp, kup /

verb (used with or without object)

Scot.

1. to overturn; upset.

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coup ¹ British  

/ kuː /

noun

1. a brilliant and successful stroke or action

2. short for coup d'état

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coup ² British  

/ kaʊp /

verb

1. to turn or fall over

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noun

1. a rubbish tip

coup ³ British  

/ kaʊp /

verb

1. to barter; traffic; deal

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coup Cultural  

1. In politics, an abbreviation for coup d'état.

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Usage

Why is coup trending? On January 6, 2021, interest in the word coup spiked—corresponding with a 962% increase in search interest on Dictionary.com—after a mob of supporters of Donald Trump stormed the U. S. Capitol building on the day Congress was set to certify the electoral vote count to confirm Joe Biden’s presidential election victory. Some journalists, political analysts, and politicians used the word coup to describe the events that occurred at the nation’s capitol. The word coup, in this context, is short for coup d’état, which literally means “stroke of state” in French. Due to its French origin, the final p is not pronounced, making the word sound identical to the word coo.https://twitter.com/SenWarren/status/1346947575975272448https://twitter.com/MaryLTrump/status/1346963110041505794https://twitter.com/RepPressley/status/1346937329928302593

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• coups
  plural

Etymology

Origin of coup¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from French: literally, “a blow, stroke,” Old French colp, from Late Latin colpus, from Latin colaphus, from Greek kólaphos

Origin of coup²

First recorded in 1350–1400; likely originally a variant of cope

Explanation

A coup is a pretty major achievement, whether it involves taking over a government by force, or landing a major business contract. When the word coup is used on the nightly news, it's usually describing a military government takeover. In the business section of the daily newspaper, coup might refer to a big corporation landing an important contract or deal. However you use the word coup, don't say the "p" at the end. It's not pronounced like chicken coop. It sounds more like a dove's coo.

Example Sentences

Appeared in the March 11, 2026, print edition as 'Elizabeth Warren’s Housing Coup'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

Coup de Tête, a restaurant there, has prix fixe meals including a starter and a main course or a main course and a dessert that set you back a mere €19.50.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

“Black Box Diaries” “No Other Land” “Porcelain War” “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” “Sugarcane”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2025

Chad is also part of a region stretching across Africa that has become known as the Coup Belt following a succession of military coups since 2020, including in Mali, Niger, and Sudan.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2025

“Was there ever a Coup de Theatre,” Adams complained, “that had so great an effect as Jefferson’s Penmanship of the Declaration of Independence.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• action
• overthrow
• plot
• revolution