coup de théâtre
noun
coup de thé·âtre ˌkü-də-tā-ˈätrᵊ 
variants or coup de theatre
plural coups de théâtre or coups de theatre ˌkü-də-tā-ˈätrᵊ
1
: a sudden sensational turn in a play
also : a sudden dramatic effect or turn of events
2
: a theatrical success
Word History
Etymology
French coup de théâtre, literally, stroke of theater
First Known Use
1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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