How to Pronounce Whooping Cough

Whooping cough is pronounced HOOP-ing KAWF. The first word rhymes with "loop," and the second word sounds like "cough" in "I have a bad cough." Put the stress on the first syllable of the first word: HOOP.

The word "whooping" comes from the distinctive high-pitched "whoop" sound that some people make when they gasp for air between severe coughing fits. It's called this because of that characteristic sound, not because of how you say the word itself.

Pertussis (pronounced per-TUS-iss) is the medical or scientific name for whooping cough. The word comes from Latin: "per-" means "through" and "tussis" means "cough." Both names refer to the same condition—pertussis is just the formal term doctors use, while whooping cough is the common everyday name.

It has three syllables total: HOOP-ing KAWF. The first word "whooping" has two syllables (HOOP-ing), and "cough" is one syllable (KAWF).

Some people accidentally stress the second syllable and say "hoo-PING cough" instead of "HOOP-ing cough." The stress should fall on the first syllable, not the second. Think of the word "hooping" (like hula hooping) to remember the correct stress.

In medical writing, whooping cough is often shortened to just "pertussis," and doctors might also use the abbreviation "DPT" when talking about vaccines (which stands for Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus). But in everyday conversation, people usually just say "whooping cough."

Sure! Here's an example: "The school nurse explained that whooping cough is a contagious respiratory illness." Or: "She recognized the symptoms of whooping cough from the distinctive coughing pattern."

Whooping cough is a serious lung infection that causes long, severe coughing fits. It got its name because people often make a loud "whoop" sound when they try to catch their breath between coughs. It's called a respiratory illness because it affects the breathing system.