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coup de foudre

American  
[koo duh foo-druh] / ku də ˈfu drə /

noun

French.
coups de foudre plural
  1. a thunderbolt.

  2. love at first sight.


coup de foudre British  
/ ku də fudrə /

noun

  1. a sudden and amazing action or event

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of coup de foudre

First recorded in 1770–80; from French: literally “bolt of lightning”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Can a muralist and product designer infographic his way into telling a compelling love story, from coup de foudre to coeur brisé?

From Washington Post Jan. 31, 2023

Or all at once, in a coup de foudre, a lightning strike of, “Hey, this is my town!”

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 20, 2022

Mr. Rogers and his wife also parted ways when, in a coup de foudre in the early 1970s, he fell in love with Ruth Elias, an American book designer and later a chef.

From New York Times Dec. 18, 2021

Reluctantly, he takes on the case of Vanessa: for the first time, of course, he actually falls, coup de foudre.

From The Guardian Jun. 26, 2010

Well, prepare for a coup de foudre, Gregory.

From Tante by Sedgwick, Anne Douglas

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