Coughing
/ˈkɒf.ɪŋ/noun
The act of expelling air from the lungs with a sudden, harsh sound.
Did you know?English cough comes from an imitative Germanic root, and the word’s old spellings show people were trying to pin down a sound that was never meant to be elegant.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*kūh- / *kūf-
“An imitative base used for harsh throat sounds or coughing-like noises”
Old English
OE
cohhian
“To cough”
Middle English
ME
couhen
“To cough”
16th Century
English
cough
“A cough; to cough”
Modern English
English
coughing
“The act of coughing”