Croup

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kɹuːp/
• Rhymes: -uːp

From Middle English croupe, from Old French croupe ("rump, body"), from Old Norse kroppr ("body, trunk, mass"), from Proto-Germanic *kruppaz ("body, mass, heap, collection, crop"), from Proto-Indo-European *grewb- ("to curve, bend, crawl"). More at group, crop.

Full definition of croup

Noun

1. The top of the rump of a horse.
• Sir Walter ScottSo light to the croup the fair lady he swung,
  So light to the saddle before her he sprung.

From Scots croup, croop ("the croup"), from Scots croup, crowp, croop ("to croak, speak hoarsely, murmur, complain"), from Old Scots crowp, crope, croap ("to call loudly, croak"), alteration of rowp, roup, roip, rope ("to cry, cry hoarsely, roop"), from Middle English roupen, ropen, from Old English hrōpan ("to shout, proclaim; cry out, scream, howl"), from Proto-Germanic *hrōpaną ("to shout"), from Proto-Indo-European *ker-, *kor- ("to caw, crow"). More at roop.

Verb

1. (obsolete except dialectal) To croak, make a hoarse noise.

Noun

1. (pathology) An infectious illness of the larynx, especially in young children, causing respiratory difficulty.

Derived terms

• croupous
• croupy