war whoop

American  

noun

1. a yell uttered in making an attack.

   the war whoop of the American Indian.

---

war whoop British  

noun

1. the yell or howl uttered, esp by North American Indians, while making an attack

---

Etymology

Origin of war whoop

An Americanism dating back to 1705–15

Example Sentences

On a short summer night, listen and you might hear a war whoop skitter out of the darkness along the riverbanks, followed by the scattering yips of coyotes on Mount Sentinel.

From New York Times • Oct. 4, 2023

Gone too was Michael Phelps’ silver medal snarl, replaced by a post-relay war whoop.

From Salon • Aug. 1, 2012

Through the darkness the war whoop was heard fiercely yelling.

From Washington Post

Then he gave China's Communists the greeting that had wowed the Russians�the Choctaw war whoop he taught Red Army men at Stalingrad: "Yahoo!"

From Time Magazine Archive

My little brother, Teddy, lets out a war whoop when Mom’s AM radio announces the closures.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman