whooping cough

noun

whoop·​ing cough ˈhü-piŋ- 

ˈhu̇-

: an infectious respiratory disease especially of children caused by a bacterium (Bordetella pertussis) and marked by a convulsive spasmodic cough sometimes followed by a crowing intake of breath

called also pertussis

Examples of whooping cough in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For most healthy adults, the whooping cough is an annoying illness. —Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2025

More:Cases of whooping cough remain elevated in Wisconsin. —Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 13 Dec. 2024

Experts say the Weldon nomination comes at a critical time for the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The U.S. is dealing with various health threats, including H5N1 bird flu, whooping cough and a spike in measles cases. —Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 25 Nov. 2024

Adverse effects have been recorded for various forms of DTaP, the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, more than 94,000 times since the vaccine was made available in 1948. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for whooping cough

• cerenkov
• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff

Kids Definition

whooping cough

noun

: a disease especially of children that is caused by a bacterium and is marked by severe attacks of coughing often followed by a high-pitched gasping intake of breath

called also pertussis

Medical Definition

whooping cough

noun

: an infectious disease especially of children caused by a bacterium of the genus Bordetella (B. pertussis) and marked by a convulsive spasmodic cough sometimes followed by a crowing intake of breath

called also pertussis