coupe
UK[kuːp]US[kuːp]
n
A car with a fixed roof and two doors.
n
A shallow, stemmed glass for serving champagne or dessert.
Etymology
The word 'coupe' entered English directly from French in the 19th century. Its origin lies in the French verb 'couper' (to cut), from which the past participle 'coupé' (cut) was used as a noun. This term was first applied to a type of four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a "cut-down" or shortened design compared to a standard coach. This core idea of a shortened, two-door vehicle was logically transferred to the automotive era to describe a two-door car with a fixed roof. Simultaneously, the term was applied to a shallow, stemmed glass, likely because its shape resembled a "cut-down" version of a taller champagne flute.
Analysis
The word 'coupe' is a loanword from French, where it functions as a noun. It is derived from the past participle 'coupé' of the French verb 'couper', meaning 'to cut'.
Examples
He drove a sleek, two-door coupe.
The waiter brought the dessert in a chilled coupe.
The classic coupe from the 1960s is a highly collectible car.