coup d'état Hear it!

coup d'état definition

coup d'état (ko̵̅o̅′dā tä′)

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

Etymology: Fr, lit., stroke of state

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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