Word
whoop
/ˈhwup/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a loud cry of joy or excitement. You might hear this when someone wins a game or hears great news.
n. a loud, enthusiastic cry or shout expressing excitement, joy, or triumph. Often used to describe a sudden, sharp vocalisation.
Examples
“A loud whoop went up from the crowd when the goal was scored.”
“The children let out a collective whoop of delight when they saw the ice cream truck turn the corner.”
“The silence of the forest was suddenly broken by a triumphant whoop from the hikers who had finally reached the summit after hours of climbing.”
Examples
simple
“A loud whoop went up from the crowd when the goal was scored.”
contextual
“The children let out a collective whoop of delight when they saw the ice cream truck turn the corner.”
complex
“The silence of the forest was suddenly broken by a triumphant whoop from the hikers who had finally reached the summit after hours of climbing.”
Usage
Often paired with the preposition 'of' to describe the emotion, such as a 'whoop of joy' or 'whoop of delight'.
Real-World Examples
“Yes, there were still whoops when friends and family members greeted individual musicians as they all poured on to the stage.” Etymology
From Middle English whopen, whowpen, howpen, houpen (“to whoop, cry out”), partially from Old French houper, hopper, houpper (“to shout”), from Proto-West Germanic hwōpan, from Proto-Germanic hwōpaną (“to boast, threaten”) (compare Gothic 𐍈𐍉𐍀𐌰𐌽 (ƕōpan, “to boast”), Old English hwōpan (“to threaten”)); and partially from Middle English wop (“weeping, lamentation”), from Old English wōp (“cry, outcry, shrieking, weeping, lamentation”), from Proto-West Germanic wōp, from Proto-Germanic wōpaz (“shout, cry, wail”) (compare Old Norse ópa (“to cry, scream, shout”), Gothic 𐍅𐍉𐍀𐌾𐌰𐌽 (wōpjan, “to cry out”)).
From a traditional African American and Southern US pronunciation of whip.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-1
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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