Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The sudden overthrow of a government by a usually small group of persons in or previously in positions of authority.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun 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

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French : coup, blow, stroke + de, of + état, state.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Borrowing from French coup d'état (literally "stroke of state").

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Examples

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  • The sudden overthrow of a government. (from WordCraft)

    May 20, 2008