Coup Meaning
/kuː/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA quick, brilliant, and highly successful act.
nounOf Native Americans, a blow against an enemy delivered in a way that demonstrates bravery.
Sentence Examples
We only have secondhand information of the coup.
The coup attempt was foiled at the last moment.
He seized power in a military coup in 2008.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The general led a military ____ to overthrow the president yesterday.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We only have secondhand information of the ____.
Word Origin & History
Reborrowed in modern times from modern French coup (“blow, strike”), from Old French coup, colp, from Late Latin colpus, from Latin colaphus. Doublet of cope and colpus. The same Old French word had been borrowed into Middle English as coupe, caupe (with different pronunciation).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The conference was a major coup for Robarts, who received congratulations for his 'expert handling' of the 'risky venture.'"
— 2000, P. E. Bryden, “The Ontario-Quebec Axis: Postwar Strategies in Intergovernmental Negotiations”, in Edgar-André Montigny, Anne Lorene Chambers, editors, Ontario Since Confederation: A Reader, page 399:
"While the price was considered a coup for Morgan, enhancing his reputation on Wall Street, Carnegie had a different explanation for his selling price."
— 2004, Charles R. Geisst, Wall Street: A History, page 116:
""[…]It was quite a coup for Pullen Park to get it. It had been in storage for awhile,^([sic]) and several parks in other places wanted to purchase it.""
— 2005, Laryce Henderson Rybka, Legacy of the Lamp, page 252:
"Yet the capture of Di María, who was the man of the match when Real won a 10th Champions League in May, represents something a coup for United considering the club are not in Europe’s premier club competition and need to strengthen their squad after the team have let five points slip from the first two matches."
— 2014 August 26, Jamie Jackson, “Ángel di María says Manchester United were the ‘only club’ after Real”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 12 Aug 2021:
"The diplomatic messaging of RCEP may be just as important as the economics—a coup for China."
— 2020 November 15, Yen Nee Lee, “‘A coup for China’: Analysts react to the world’s largest trade deal that excludes the U.S.”, in CNBC, archived from the original on 11 Mar 2022:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The general led a military ____ to overthrow the president yesterday.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We only have secondhand information of the ____.