croup: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowMedical / Veterinary
Quick answer
What does “croup” mean?
An inflammatory respiratory illness, mainly affecting children, characterized by a harsh cough and breathing difficulty.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An inflammatory respiratory illness, mainly affecting children, characterized by a harsh cough and breathing difficulty.
Can also refer to the rump of a horse; historically used as a term for the hindquarters of a quadruped.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant variation in meaning or usage between regions.
Connotations
Primarily associated with childhood illness; for parents, it carries connotations of anxiety and urgency.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects, used mainly in medical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “croup” in a Sentence
The child developed croup.He was hospitalised for croup.To treat croup with steam.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “croup” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The croup-like cough was alarming.
- A croupy sound
American English
- The croup-like cough was scary.
- A croupy bark
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical and veterinary papers.
Everyday
Used by parents and healthcare professionals discussing a specific childhood illness.
Technical
A clinical diagnosis in paediatrics; an anatomical term in equine anatomy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “croup”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “croup”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “croup”
- Misspelling as 'croop'.
- Using it as a general term for any cough.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the viruses that cause croup are contagious, but the distinctive croup symptoms themselves are not directly 'caught' from another child with croup.
Croup involves inflammation of the upper airway, causing a distinctive 'barking' cough and stridor. Whooping cough (pertussis) is a bacterial infection causing severe, uncontrollable coughing fits followed by a 'whooping' sound when inhaling.
It is very rare. Croup primarily affects young children (6 months to 3 years) due to their smaller, more narrow airways which are more susceptible to swelling.
No, they are etymologically distinct homographs. The illness comes from an obsolete verb 'croup' meaning 'to croak'. The veterinary term comes from Old French 'croupe'.
An inflammatory respiratory illness, mainly affecting children, characterized by a harsh cough and breathing difficulty.
Croup is usually medical / veterinary in register.
Croup: in British English it is pronounced /kruːp/, and in American English it is pronounced /kruːp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a group of children, and one has a CROUP cough that sounds like a crow ('croo-p').
Conceptual Metaphor
ILLNESS IS AN INVADER (battling croup).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'croup' LEAST likely to be used?