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coup de théâtre

[ kooduh tey-ah-truh ]
/ kudə teɪˈɑ trə /

noun, plural coups de thé·â·tre [kooduh tey-ah-truh] /kudə teɪˈɑ trə/. French.

a surprising or unexpected turn of events in a play.
a sensational and unexpected turn in the plot of a drama.
any theatrical trick intended to have a sensational effect.

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Nearby words

  1. coup de grace,
  2. coup de grâce,
  3. coup de main,
  4. coup de maître,
  5. coup de poing,
  6. coup injury of brain,
  7. coup stick,
  8. coupe,
  9. couperin,
  10. couperin, françois
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for coup de theatre

coup de théâtre

/ French (ku də teɑtrə) /

noun plural coups de théâtre (ku də teɑtrə)

a dramatic turn of events, esp in a play
a sensational device of stagecraft
a stage success

Word Origin for coup de théâtre

literally: stroke of the theatre
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