croup Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a disease of infants and young children; harsh coughing and hoarseness and fever and difficult breathing
    spasmodic laryngitis.
  2. noun the part of an animal that corresponds to the human buttocks
    croupe; hindquarters; rump.

WordNet

Croup noun
Etymology
F. croupe hind quarters, croup, rump, of German or Icel. origin; cf. Icel. kryppa hump; akin to Icel. kroppr. Cf. Crop.
Definitions
  1. 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 W. Scott.
Croup noun
Etymology
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.
Definitions
  1. (Med.) 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 1913