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

Tapper noted that removing requirements for childhood vaccines could see a rise in cases of diseases such as Hepatitis A, whooping cough, and chickenpox, which have all risen in Florida over the past year. —Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025

Vaccine preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough are rising again, too. —Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025

One of the vaccines given before kindergarten is for pertussis (whooping cough), which young children are more prone to catching during the fall and winter months. —Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025

Even fewer children were vaccinated against chickenpox and whooping cough with rates at 92.1%, according to the data. —Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 1 Aug. 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