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coup

Etymology and origin of the French word coup

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
881, Sequence of Saint Eulalia
Inherited from
Latin colpus via Old French
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek (κόλαφος)

Pronunciation

Forms

coup m (plural coups)[1] Old French colp, cop, col, coup from 1268.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French colp, inherited from Late Latin colpus (“blow”) (Salic Law), a popular syncopated form of Latin colaphus (“blow with the fist, cuff”),[4][2][5][6] which transcribes Ancient Greek κόλαφος (kólaphos, “slap”).[4][2][1] Rey reports a proposal to derive the Greek word from κολάπτω (koláptō, “to peck, chisel”);[2] Beekes, quoted by Etymonline, calls it a lowly word without clear etymology.[7] The Latin word replaced classical ictus.[5]

Cognate with Italian colpo, Occitan cop, Catalan cop, Spanish golpe and Portuguese golpe.[8][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Sequence of Saint Eulalia (881) has colp for a blow, the movement by which one body strikes another.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

About 1100 the Chanson de Roland uses it for the mark left by a blow and for a feat of arms;[4][9] the sense of effect or shock (coup au cœur, 1606) follows about 1250.[4][2] About 1190 it meant a sudden event, good or bad, whence coup de hasard (1538) and coup de théâtre (1743).[4] It names the sudden action of the elements (coup de tonnerre, 1200–1206), a throw of the dice (13th century) and the firing of a gun (coup de bombarde, about 1470).[4][2]

From the 13th century it also meant “a time, an occasion”: a cest coup (1268), d'un seul cop (about 1320), tout a cop (about 1450) and après le coup (Commynes, about 1470);[4] boire un coup is in Froissart.[4] Thieves' slang has faire un bon coup (1781–1798).[10][4] English took coup “sudden decisive act” in 1852, short for coup d'état.[7] Etymonline notes that in modern French the word is a workhorse used of anything from a pat on the back to a gunshot or a chess move.[7]

Timeline

  • 881 – Colp in the Sequence of Saint Eulalia.[4]
  • c. 1100 – A feat of arms, in the Chanson de Roland.[4]
  • c. 1190 – A sudden event.[4]
  • 1268 – A cest coup “this time”.[4]
  • c. 1470 – Coup de bombarde, après le coup.[4]
  • 1606 – Coup au cœur.[4]
  • 1743 – Coup de théâtre.[4]
  • 1852 – English coup.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A blow, knock, hit: un coup de poing, un coup de couteau.[8][11]
  2. The mark or effect of a blow; a moral shock: un coup dur.[11][2]
  3. A shot: un coup de feu.[1][2]
  4. A sudden action or event: coup de tonnerre, coup de foudre, coup du sort.[2][4]
  5. A quick movement: coup d'œil, coup de fil, coup de main.[1][4]
  6. A move in a game; a stroke in sport.[1][2]
  7. A planned action, scheme: faire un coup, coup d'État, (slang) a heist.[1][10]
  8. A time, an instance: à tous les coups, du premier coup, tout à coup.[1][4]
  9. A drink: boire un coup.[4][1]

Word family

  • couper
  • coupe
  • couperet
  • coupon
  • coupure
  • entrecouper
  • recouper
  • coupe-jarret
  • beaucoup
  • contrecoup
  • à-coup
  • Ancient Greek κόλαφος (kólaphos)
  • English coup

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 865a
  7. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  10. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  11. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Coup.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/coup. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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