Etymograph

English

coupee

Coupee comes from French couper ‘to cut’, and goes back to Old French coper.

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400coper1‘to cut off’
  2. Frenchc. 1600–presentcouper2‘to cut’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentcoupée2past participle of couper
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1673coupee2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, French couper
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English coupee
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1673, William Wycherley: “One, two, and a coupee.”.

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400coperWiktionary, French couper‘to cut off’
  2. Frenchc. 1600–presentcouperWiktionary, English coupee‘to cut’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentcoupéeWiktionary, English coupeepast participle of couper
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1673coupeeWiktionary, English coupee. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1673, William Wycherley: “One, two, and a coupee.”

Linked words

through Old French coper ‘to cut off’

cope, 2 more

through French couper ‘to cut’

coupon, recoup, 2 more

Today it means

noun A motion in dancing, when one leg is a little bent and raised from the floor, and with the other a forward motion is made.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “coupee”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for French couper. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Old French coper / coupee

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