the sudden, forcible overthrow of a ruler, government, etc., sometimes with violence, by a small group of people already having some political or military authority
See coup d'état in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(ko͞oˌ dā-täˈ)
nounpl.coups d'état(ko͞oˌ) or coup d'états(dā-täzˈ)
The sudden overthrow of a government by a usually small group of persons in or previously in positions of authority.