whooping cough

American  

[hoo-ping, hoop-ing] / ˈhu pɪŋ, ˈhʊp ɪŋ /

noun

Pathology.

1. an infectious disease of the respiratory mucous membrane, caused by Bordetella pertussis, characterized by a series of short, convulsive coughs followed by a deep inspiration accompanied by a whooping sound.

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whooping cough British  

/ ˈhuːpɪŋ /

noun

1. Technical name: pertussis.  an acute infectious disease characterized by coughing spasms that end with a shrill crowing sound on inspiration: caused by infection with the bacillus Bordetella pertussis

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whooping cough Scientific  

/ ho̅o̅′pĭng,hp′ĭng,wo̅o̅′pĭng,wp′ĭng /

1. An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bordatella pertussis, seen most commonly in children and characterized by coughing spasms often ending in loud gasps. Vaccinations usually given during infancy confer immunity to the disease.

2. Also called pertussis

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whooping cough Cultural  

1. An acute and infectious disease occurring mainly in children and characterized by violent coughing. Caused by a kind of bacteria, whooping cough has largely been eradicated in the United States through a program of vaccination, which is begun when infants are just three months old.

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Etymology

Origin of whooping cough

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

Unlike most vaccine-preventable diseases, such as whooping cough and chickenpox, hepatitis B is typically asymptomatic, often spreading silently until midlife, when 1 in 4 infected people develop liver cancer or cirrhosis.

From Los Angeles Times

Other vaccine-preventable diseases such as whooping cough also are on the rise.

From Los Angeles Times

Another disease to watch out for is pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

From Los Angeles Times

Cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, for instance, used to be rare, but are now a monthly occurrence, she said.

From BBC

TAPPER: Hepatitis A, whooping cough, and chickenpox cases are rising in Florida.

From Salon