1 definition by Hargittai
This term was first used in France before the revolution. During king Louis' reign, he always found it amusing to have gestures perform tricks for his wealthy guests. On one occasion, the gesture cut an apple via two vertical half cuts and another one perpendicular to that one. In addition, two nonadjacent corner cuts were made giving rise to two pieces of that apple that were mirror images of eachother. The gesture then offered this apple to the sun god also known as Louis 16th and ever since, this method of cutting an apple has been referred to as “la coupe du roi”.
by Hargittai February 8, 2008