Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - coup

(coups) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. When there is a coup, a group of people seize power in a country. ...a military coup... They were sentenced to death for their part in April’s coup attempt. = coup d’etat N-COUNT 2. A coup is an achievement which is thought to be especially good because it was very difficult. The sale is a big coup for the auction house... N-COUNT