croup
NounOpen English WordNet
Noun (2)
- a disease of infants and young children; harsh coughing and hoarseness and fever and difficult breathingSynonyms: spasmodic laryngitisType of angina
- the part of an animal that corresponds to the human buttocksSynonyms: hindquarterscrouperumpType of body partKinds haunchPart of bird, quadruped
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: F. croupe hind quarters, croup, rump, of German or Icel. origin; cf. Icel. kryppa hump; akin to Icel. kroppr. Cf. Crop.
The hinder part or buttocks of certain quadrupeds, especially of a horse; hence, the place behind the saddle.
So light to the croup the fair lady he swung, So light to the saddle before her he sprung.— Sir Walter Scott
Origin: Scot. croup, cf. croup, crowp, to croak, to cry or speak with a hoarse voice; cf. also LG. kropp, G. kropf, the crop or craw of a bird, and tumor on the anterior part of the neck, a wen, etc. Cf. Crop.
Medicine An inflammatory affection of the larynx or trachea, accompanied by a hoarse, ringing cough and stridulous, difficult breathing; esp., such an affection when associated with the development of a false membrane in the air passages (also called membranous croup). See False croup, under False, and Diphtheria.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54