coup de foudre

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French coup de foudre (“lightning strike”).

Noun

coup de foudre (plural coups de foudre)

1. A sudden unexpected event, especially an emotional one; love at first sight.
   • 2007, Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon, Blue Bridge, published 2008, page 84:

     The encounter with Laura that Good Friday was a coup de foudre, and for the rest of his life he was to adore her, mostly from afar.

   • 2023, Pamela Anderson, Love, Pamela‎, →ISBN:

     They immediately fell madly in love. A lightning bolt. Coup de foudre.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku d(ə) fudʁ/

Noun

coup de foudre m (plural coups de foudre)

1. lightning strike, thunderbolt

   Coordinate term: coup de tonnerre

2. (figuratively) love at first sight

   Near-synonym: coup de cœur

   Quand j’ai fait la connaissance de Henri, ç’a été le coup de foudre! ― When I met Henri, it was love at first sight!

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from French coup de foudre.

Noun

coup de foudre m (invariable)

1. coup de foudre

   Synonym: colpo di fulmine