Whooping cough (Med.), a violent, convulsive cough, returning at longer or shorter intervals, and consisting of several expirations, followed by a sonorous inspiration, or whoop; chin cough; hooping cough. Dunglison. -- Whooping crane (Zool.), a North American crane (Crus Americana) noted for the loud, whooplike note which it utters. -- Whooping swan (Zool.), the whooper swan. See the Note under Swan. [ 1913 Webster ]