coup d'état

[koo dey-tah, koo dey-ta]

noun

plural

coups d'état 

1. a sudden and decisive action in politics, especially one resulting in a change of government illegally or by force.

   Synonyms: uprising, revolution, rebellion, overthrow

coup d'état

/ ku deta, ˈkuː deɪˈtɑː /

noun

1. a sudden violent or illegal seizure of government

coup d'état

1. A quick and decisive seizure of governmental power by a strong military or political group. In contrast to a revolution, a coup d'état, or coup, does not involve a mass uprising. Rather, in the typical coup, a small group of politicians or generals arrests the incumbent leaders, seizes the national radio and television services, and proclaims itself in power. Coup d'état is French for “stroke of the state” or “blow to the government.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of coup d'état¹

1640–50; < French: literally, stroke concerning the state

Word History and Origins

Origin of coup d'état¹

French, literally: stroke of state

Example Sentences

On Sunday, the opposition group made up of Gbagbo and Thiam's parties denounced the election as a "civilian coup d'etat," saying they would not recognise Ouattara as a validly elected leader.

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On Wednesday, Gbagbo condemned the poll as a "civilian coup d'etat" and "electoral robbery".

Read more on Barron's

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro -- whose last two reelection victories have been widely disputed -- has accused Washington of plotting "regime change," while Colombia's Gustavo Petro has suggested the idea of "a coup d'etat against me."

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That incarceration was part of a de Moraes effort to squeeze members of the former president’s inner circle to convict him and his lieutenants of plotting a coup d’état against his successor, President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Madagascar's constitutional court has named Col Randrianirina as the country's new leader, even though a statement from the president's office said he was still in charge and denounced what it described as an "attempted coup d'etat".

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