# coup de grâce

> English word · Noun · IPA /kuː də ɡɹɑs/

## Definitions
1. A final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal.
2. A remarkable finishing action.

## Etymology
Late 17th century. Borrowed from French coup de grâce (“finishing blow”). Originally referring to a merciful stroke putting a fatally wounded person out of misery or to the shot delivered to the head of a prisoner after facing a firing squad.

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