Definitions
Wiktionary
- n. The sudden overthrow of a government, differing from a revolution by being carried out by a small group of people who replace only the leading figures.
Etymologies
- Borrowing from French coup d'état (literally "stroke of state"). (Wiktionary)
Examples
“Bonaparte's lieutenant, to carry out the coup d'état of 18 Fructidor against the Councils (4 Sept., 1797), and France was once more a prey to a Jacobin and anti-Catholic policy.”
“King Michael of Rumania had been in touch both with the CIA and with the Russian Legation in Turkey, and made preparations for a coup d'état which was to be followed by the "internment" of the troops of his erstwhile ally: he awaited only the signal, which was to be the passage of the Dniester by Tolbukhin.”
“Treuer Heinrich — the cognomen had been bestowed on him by Hitler personally in recognition of his perfect loyalty — had at his command the most perfect machinery for a coup d'état that has ever existed, in the police, the Gestapo, the SD, and the SS.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘coup d'état’.
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POL - elections
weak democracy, stand a chance ag..., whistle stop, special interest ..., voting machine, trumpeting support, voting power, to court votes, war chest, short-term observ..., soak-the-rich lef..., term of office and 930 more...
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Daily
Words picked up as I go
kaleidoscopic, illiterate, fie, dehisce, shiester, amalgamation, immunodeficiency, coup d'état, fascism, platitudinous, xenophobia, sanctimonious and 4 more...
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Loan words from French
gite, coq au vin, dernier cri, clique, hors d'œuvre, touché, naïve, coquette, bourgeois, contretemps, flâneur, film noir and 63 more...
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English with Tongue
French words and phrases used by English speakers.
objet d'art, nom de plume, petite, bon voyage, avant-garde, faux pas, faux, touché, répondez, s'il vo..., rouge, papier mâché, joie de vivre and 85 more...
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Politrix
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
vexillology, blowback, impunity, extraterritoriality, plenipotentiary, filibuster, pundit, jingoistic, gerrymander, swiftboat, espionage, ipsedixitism and 151 more...
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rad/cool/nifty/tubular
scopophobic, mindsight, ubiquity, mexicocity, dwellspring, maverick, skullduggery, future shock, jolly balance, fetid, unglimpsed..., boz pity, defy comparison and 23 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for coup d'état.
whichbe The sudden overthrow of a government. (from WordCraft) May 19, 2008