croup

Meanings

Verb

• To croak, make a hoarse noise.

Noun

• An infectious illness of the larynx, especially in young children, causing respiratory difficulty.

Origin

• From Middle English croupe, from Old French croupe, from Old Norse kroppr, from Proto-Germanic *kruppaz, from Proto-Indo-European *grewb-. More at crupper, croupe, group, and crop.
• From Scots croup, croop, from Scots croup, crowp, croop, from Old Scots crowp, crope, croap, alteration of rowp, roup, roip, rope, from Middle English roupen, ropen, from Old English hrōpan, from Proto-Germanic *hrōpaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ker-, *kor-. More at roop.