Affected by or characteristic of croup; resembling or relating to the respiratory condition croup, especially the harsh barking cough.
From croup (respiratory disease) + -y (adjective suffix). Croup itself has uncertain origin, possibly Scottish or imitative of the distinctive cough sound.
Any parent who's heard a child with croup knows 'croupy' instantly—that distinctive seal-like barking cough is so iconic that one word captures a whole frightening midnight experience!
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