coup de grâce

• coup de grace

Late 17th century. Borrowed from French coup de grâce (“finishing blow”). Originally referring to a merciful stroke putting a fatally wounded person out of misery or to the shot delivered to the head of a prisoner after facing a firing squad.

• IPA^(key): /kuː də ɡɹæs/
• (hyperforeign) IPA^(key): /kuː də ɡɹɑː/
• Rhymes: -ɑːs

coup de grâce (plural coups de grâce)

1. A final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal.
2. An action that finishes something.

Some speakers, aware that some final consonants are dropped in French, drop the final /s/ sound in grâce even though it is pronounced in French, making this sound like French coup de gras (“strike of grease”).

Literally "strike of mercy".

• IPA^(key): /ku də ɡʁɑs/

• Audio (FR)

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coup de grâce m (plural coups de grâce)

1. finishing blow

• English: coup de grâce