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Yelp vs Whelp - What's the difference?

yelp | whelp |

As nouns the difference between yelp and whelp

is that yelp is an abrupt, high-pitched noise or utterance while whelp is a young offspring of a canid (ursid, felid, pinniped), especially of a dog or a wolf, the young of a bear or similar mammal (lion, tiger, seal); a pup, wolf cub.

As verbs the difference between yelp and whelp

is that yelp is to utter an abrupt, high-pitched noise while whelp is (ambitransitive) to give birth.

yelp

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • An abrupt, high-pitched noise or utterance.
    • The puppy let out a yelp when I stepped on her tail.
  • A type of emergency vehicle siren sounding quicker and more intense than the wail siren-sound.

    • Etymology 2

    (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To utter an abrupt, high-pitched noise.
    • The children yelped with delight as they played in the cold water.

    whelp

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A young offspring of a canid (ursid, felid, pinniped), especially of a dog or a wolf, the young of a bear or similar mammal (lion, tiger, seal); a pup, wolf cub.
  • (derogatory) An insolent youth; a mere child.
  • * Addison
    • That awkward whelp with his money bags would have made his entrance.
  • (obsolete) A kind of ship.
  • One of several wooden strips to prevent wear on a windlass on a clipper-era ship.
  • A tooth on a sprocket wheel (compare sprocket, def. 2; cog, def. 1).

    • Derived terms

    * fox whelp, fox-whelp, fox's whelp (foxling) * (Newfoundland) (l) * whelpling * wolf whelp, wolf-whelp, wolf's whelp

    See also

    * Guelf, Guelph * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To give birth.
    • The bitch whelped .
    The she-wolf whelped a large litter of cubs.

    References