counter-coup
UK[ˈkaʊntə kuː]US[ˈkaʊntər kuː]
n
A coup d'état undertaken to reverse or counteract the effects of a previous coup.
Morpheme Breakdown
counter
coup
counter
against
coup
sudden overthrow
Etymology
The term 'counter-coup' is a modern political compound, formed in English from the established prefix 'counter-' and the noun 'coup'. The prefix 'counter-' entered English via Anglo-French from Latin contra, meaning 'against', a sense it has consistently carried. The word 'coup', a shortening of the French phrase coup d'état (literally "stroke of state"), entered English in the 19th century to denote a sudden, decisive seizure of governmental power. By combining these elements, 'counter-coup' logically describes a retaliatory strike against a new regime, specifically one that itself gained power through a coup, thus forming a narrative of political action and reaction.
Analysis
Structure: counter (against) + coup (sudden overthrow)
- counter: From Latin contra (against, opposite). A prefix in English indicating opposition, retaliation, or correspondence.
- coup: From French coup (blow, stroke), ultimately from Latin colaphus (a blow with the fist), from Greek kólaphos. In English, it is a clipped form of coup d'état.
Examples
The general led a swift counter-coup to restore the deposed president to power.
The success of the initial uprising was short-lived, as it was followed by a bloody counter-coup just weeks later.
Fears of a potential counter-coup kept the new junta's leadership in a state of constant vigilance.