louping ill

noun

An enzootic and often fatal viral disease of sheep and other domestic animals, spread by ticks. It is characterized by muscular tremors and spasms, followed by more or less complete paralysis. The principal lesion is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

OriginScots loup →
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Meanings

nounlouping ill (uncountable)

alternative louping-ill · alternative louping

  1. uncountableAn enzootic and often fatal viral disease of sheep and other domestic animals, spread by ticks. It is characterized by muscular tremors and spasms, followed by more or less complete paralysis. The principal lesion is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

Origin

  1. Scotsloup“to leap”
  2. Englishlouping ill

From Scots loup (“to leap”), since affected sheep would spring into the air.

More words from Scots

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

louping ill. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/louping%20ill

MLA

“louping ill.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/louping%20ill. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “louping ill,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/louping%20ill.

Source: louping ill on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.