croup

¹ American  

[kroop] / krup /

noun

Pathology.

1. any condition of the larynx or trachea characterized by a hoarse cough and difficult breathing.

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croup ² American  

[kroop] / krup /

noun

1. the highest part of the rump of a quadruped, especially a horse.

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croup ¹ British  

/ kruːp /

noun

1. a throat condition, occurring usually in children, characterized by a hoarse cough and laboured breathing, resulting from inflammation and partial obstruction of the larynx

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croup ² British  

/ kruːp /

noun

1. the hindquarters of a quadruped, esp a horse

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croup Scientific  

/ kro̅o̅p /

1. An acute infection that affects the upper and lower respiratory tracts, especially the larynx, trachea, and bronchi, and is caused most commonly by viruses of the genus Paramyxovirus. It is characterized by labored breathing and obstruction below the glottis, accompanied by a barking cough.

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Other Word Forms

• croupous
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of croup¹

First recorded in 1755–65; noun use of croup “to cry hoarsely” (now dialectal), blend of croak and whoop

Origin of croup²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English croupe, from Middle French, Anglo-French crupe, Old French crope, from Germanic; see crop

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

croup

For nearly all of the first four years of his life, croup repeatedly sent us to the emergency room, often at 3 a.m., as he struggled to breathe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026

If infected, a "small but significant proportion" among the immunocompromised will develop more severe disease where the lungs are affected, with wheezing, breathlessness and symptoms of croup.

From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2025

It causes up to 10% of human respiratory infections, mainly in children and immunocompromised people, with symptoms ranging from mild coughs and sniffles to bronchitis and croup.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2023

One study found that the rate of upper airway infections — such as a type of bronchitis known as croup — among hospitalized coronavirus-infected children nearly tripled during the Omicron era.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2022

It was rumored that she had had no childhood diseases, was never known to have chicken pox, croup or even a runny nose.

From "Sula" by Toni Morrison

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