coup d'etat

coup d'é·tat  (k d-tä)

n. pl. coups d'état (k) or coup d'états (d-täz)

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

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

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

coup d'etat - a sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by force coup, putsch, takeover group action - action taken by a group of people countercoup - a sudden and decisive overthrow of a government that gained power by a coup d'etat