# coup d'état

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌku deɪˈtɑ/

## Definitions
1. 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.

## Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French coup d'État (literally “strike (or blow or cut) of state”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/coup-d-etat