noun, plural coups 
[kooz; French koo] .
Idioms [kooz; French koo] . 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.
4.
count coup,
a.
to perform a coup.
b.
to recount or relate the coups one has performed.
Origin:
1640–50; < French: literally, blow, stroke, Old French colp < Late Latin colpus, Latin colaphus < Greek kólaphos
1640–50; < French: literally, blow, stroke, Old French colp < Late Latin colpus, Latin colaphus < Greek kólaphos
00:10
Coup
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To coup
Collins
World English Dictionary
coup1 (kuː) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a brilliant and successful stroke or action |
| 2. | short for coup d'état |
| [C18: from French: blow, from Latin colaphus blow with the fist, from Greek kolaphos] | |
| coup or (Scot) cowp2 (kaʊp) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to turn or fall over |
| —n | |
| 2. | a rubbish tip |
| [C15: perhaps identical with obsolete cope to strike; see | |
| cowp or (Scot) cowp2 | |
| —vb | |
| —n | |
| [C15: perhaps identical with obsolete cope to strike; see | |
| coup3 (kaʊp) | |
| —vb | |
| (Scot) to barter; traffic; deal | |
| [C14: from Old Norse kaupa to buy] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
coup
c.1400, from O.Fr. colp "to cut, strike," from M.L. colpus, from V.L. colapus, from L. colaphus "a cuff, box on the ear," from Gk. kolaphos "a blow, slap."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
The fact that the human gut flora flourished in the rodents was indeed an experimental coup.
The generals justified the coup on security grounds.
Easier to leave you in limbo until the form letter delivers the coup de grace.
At first national officials said the seizure was an intelligence coup.
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