grippe

American  

[grip] / grɪp /

noun

Older Use.

1. influenza.

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grippe British  

/ ɡrɪp /

noun

1. a former name for influenza

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Other Word Forms

• grippal adjective
• grippelike adjective
• postgrippal adjective

Etymology

Origin of grippe

First recorded in 1770–80; from French, noun derivative of gripper “to seize suddenly,” from Germanic; akin to grip, gripe

Explanation

Grippe is an old fashioned word for the flu — the virus that can give you a fever, sore throat, and a headache. If you fear you're coming down with the grippe, you might spend the day in bed drinking tea. When someone feels achy, shivery, and tired, they probably fear having the grippe, which is highly contagious and sickens many people each year, mostly in the winter months. Today it's more commonly called the flu, short for influenza. English speakers called it the grippe in the eighteenth century, from the French grippe, which means "influenza," but also "seizure," from gripper, "grasp or hook."

Example Sentences

“The reign of the grippe and sore throats continues,” noted Boston Globe reporter Edward Martin.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2020

Labeling the disease nothing more or less than the grippe, the Journal warned its readers not to allow themselves to be frightened into their coffins.

From Washington Times • Mar. 24, 2020

Within moments of the bay window sluicing down into the yard, a grippe of partiers will spill from the front door in search of the interesting person who took such radical action.

From The Guardian • May 12, 2010

At week's end came the deflating word from Moscow: Nikita was "immobilized by an attack of grippe and would not be in condition to be in Paris the 15th of March."

From Time Magazine Archive

"I'll drop you a line, sir. Take care of your grippe, now."

From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger