Coupure
/kuːˈpjʊər/noun
A cut, incision, or interruption; in military use, a cut or break in a defensive work.
Did you know?Coupure entered English through French military and architectural vocabulary, where it named a deliberate cut or interruption in fortifications—proof that words for “style” can come straight from siegecraft.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
colpus
“A blow or strike.”
Old French
Old French
coup
“A blow, stroke, or hit.”
Middle French
French
coupure
“A cut, incision, or break; especially in a wall, bank, or fortification.”
18th-19th Century
English
coupure
“A cut, opening, or interruption, especially in military and engineering contexts.”
Modern English
English
coupure
“A cut or interruption, especially in fortifications or technical usage.”