count coup
(intransitive, US, historical) To win prestige in battle by performing an act of bravery in the face of the enemy (such as touching him and escaping unharmed), a ritual of the Plains Indians of North
ˌkaʊnt ˈkuːDocumented since 1880sSilenthistorical135 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
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Born ~1880 · no dated citations yet19th centurySee decade cohort →
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#1·Apr 27, 2026
(intransitive, US, historical) To win prestige in battle by performing an act of bravery in the face of the enemy (such as touching him and escaping unharmed), a ritual of the Plains Indians of North America.
dǐ ki, v. t., to strike, to whip, to "'count coup'''''."
Origin: [[File:Crow-Cheyenne-fight.jpg|thumb|A piece of 1880s ledger art depicting a Cheyenne warrior on horseback (right) counting coup with a lance on a dismounted Crow warrior]] count + quick, brilliant, and highly successful act (from , ultimately from ). Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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