Etymology of coup

Origin of the word “coup”

The word coup comes from the French coup, from Medieval Latin colpus, from Vulgar Latin colapus, from Latin colaphus “a cuff, box on the ear,” from the Greek colaphos (punch, slap; Gr: κόλαφος).

In modern Greek: 

a) colaphos: punch, slap [Gr: κόλαφος]

OED

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