coup

/kuː/
noun
  1. A sudden, illegal, and often violent seizure of power from a government, usually by a small group of people.
    • The country has been unstable since the failed coup attempt last year.
    • After the coup, the new leader promised to hold elections.
    • The military staged a coup and overthrew the president.
  2. An impressive and often unexpected success or achievement.
    • The discovery of the ancient tomb was a major coup for the archaeologists.
    • Landing that big contract was a real coup for the small company.
    • Getting the famous singer to perform at our school fair was a huge coup.
What does "coup" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean