whooping cough

See also: whooping-cough

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

whooping +‎ cough, from the characteristic-sounding cough that is a major symptom.

Noun

whooping cough (countable and uncountable, plural whooping coughs)

  1. (medicine) A contagious disease of the respiratory system that usually affects children caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, the advanced stage of which is characterised by spasms of coughing followed by a whooping sound during the intake of breath.

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