vampire cough

noun

A cough directed into the crook of one's elbow to avoid the spread of germs.

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Meanings

nounvampire cough (plural vampire coughs)

plural vampire coughs

  1. informalA cough directed into the crook of one's elbow to avoid the spread of germs.

Origin

So called because the resulting pose resembles the stock figure of a vampire using his cape over a crooked arm to hide his teeth; see Dracula sneeze.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: vampire cough on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.