whooper

American  

[hoo-per, hwoo-, woo-] / ˈhu pər, ˈʰwu-, ˈwu- /

noun

1. a person or thing that whoops.

2. whooper swan.

3. Informal. whooping crane.

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whooper British  

/ ˈwuːpə /

noun

1. a large white Old World swan, Cygnus cygnus, having a black bill with a yellow base and a noisy whooping cry

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Etymology

Origin of whooper

First recorded in 1650–60; whoop + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

whooper

Numbers of whooper swans are predicted to double in the UK by 2030, thanks to efforts to protect the wetlands where they spend the winter.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2023

In the harvested corn fields, big flocks of muddy whooper swans were eating leftovers, but apart from them, not a bird sang.

From New York Times ● Sep. 11, 2022

The population growth masks the fact that the plight of the whooper is not solved, however.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 19, 2018

The 1,400-acre reserve was established by Sir Peter Scott to provide a winter home for barnacle geese, but also attracts many other types of wildlife, including badgers, whooper swans and natterjack toads.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 30, 2014

He hastened to assure the whooper that he was awake and afoot.

From Galusha the Magnificent by Lincoln, Joseph Crosby