coup

¹

[kohp, koop]

verb (used with or without object)

Scot.

1. to overturn; upset.

coup

²

[koo]

noun

plural

coups 

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.

coup

¹

/ kaʊp /

verb

1. to turn or fall over

noun

1. a rubbish tip

coup

²

/ kaʊp /

verb

1. to barter; traffic; deal

coup

³

/ kuː /

noun

1. a brilliant and successful stroke or action

2. short for coup d'état

coup

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of coup¹

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

Origin of coup²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of coup¹

C15: perhaps identical with obsolete cope to strike; see _cope ¹

Origin of coup²

C14: from Old Norse kaupa to buy

Origin of coup³

C18: from French: blow, from Latin colaphus blow with the fist, from Greek kolaphos

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

The decision came days after Peru severed diplomatic ties with Mexico, after the Mexican government granted asylum to a former Peruvian prime minister facing charges for a 2022 coup attempt.

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Pakistan's military has long played a prominent role in the nuclear-armed country's politics - sometimes seizing power in coups, and, on other occasions, pulling levers behind the scenes.

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Shah said that the change granting Munir immunity from prosecution "makes redundant Article 6 of the constitution, which criminalises military coups".

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Since independence from France in 1960, the CAR has seen a succession of conflicts, civil wars and military coups.

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The country has been ravaged by civil war since the February 2021 coup.

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Related Words

• action 
• overthrow 
• plot 
• revolution 

When To Use

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