croup

croup — noun

1. A viral infection in the upper airways of babies and young children that causes

1.名詞B2
釋義

A viral infection in the upper airways of babies and young children that causes a harsh cough similar to a barking seal, a hoarse voice, and a whistling sound when breathing in.

例句

The paediatrician told Rohan's mother that his barking cough was a clear sign of croup.

collocation: barking cough + croup

Children with croup often have more trouble breathing at night, which worries many parents.

pattern: have + croup + difficulty breathing

同義詞
  • laryngotracheobronchitis

    the full medical term for croup; used mainly by doctors, not in everyday speech

  • viral croup

    specifies the more common viral form, as opposed to spasmodic croup

文法句型

croup (noun) as subject or object

have / develop / treat croup

用法筆記

Frequently used with the verbs 'have', 'develop', or 'diagnose with'. Croup is most common in children between six months and three years old. The barking cough is the most recognisable symptom that distinguishes it from other respiratory illnesses.

常見錯誤

❌My son has croup and cannot stop sneezing.
✅My son has croup and keeps coughing with a harsh, barking sound.
💡Croup causes a barking cough, not sneezing.
❌She caught croup from her classmate at school.
✅She developed croup after a mild cold.
💡Croup is typically caused by a viral infection that develops gradually, not passed directly from person to person like a cold.

2. The rounded rear part of a four-legged animal's back, between the top of the hin

2.名詞C1
釋義

The rounded rear part of a four-legged animal's back, between the top of the hind legs and the base of the tail; often used when describing a horse's body shape.

例句

The judge praised the horse's broad, powerful croup as a sign of good breeding.

collocation: broad / powerful croup

A groom gently brushed the mare's croup while she stood calmly in the stable.

同義詞
  • rump

    the most common synonym; used for both animals and, informally, humans

  • hindquarters

    covers a broader area including the thighs and upper legs

  • crupper

    the part of a horse's harness that loops under the tail and over the croup

反義詞
  • withers

    the highest point of a horse's back, between the shoulder blades — opposite end of the back

文法句型

the croup + of + animal

possessive + croup

用法筆記

This sense belongs to specialised animal anatomy and is rarely used in everyday conversation. Most common in horse breeding, veterinary exams, and livestock evaluation. For a human, the equivalent area is called the 'buttocks' or 'lower back'.

常見錯誤

❌The rider sat gently on the horse's croup.
✅The rider sat gently in the saddle, behind the horse's withers.
💡The croup is the area above the hind legs, well behind where a rider sits.