whelp

UK: /wɛlp/ US: /hwɛlp, wɛlp/ ,(hwelp, welp)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

whelp /hwɛlp, wɛlp/   n. [countable]

1. Zoology the young of such mammals as the dog or the wolf.
2. a young person who is considered too bold, impudent, or rude.

v. [no object]

3. Zoology (of a female dog or wolf) to give birth to a young pup.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

whelp  (hwelp, welp), n. 

1. Zoology the young of the dog, or of the wolf, bear, lion, tiger, seal, etc.
2. a youth, esp. an impudent or despised one.
3. [Mach.]
   • Mechanical Engineering any of a series of longitudinal projections or ridges on the barrel of a capstan, windlass, etc.
   • Mechanical Engineering any of the teeth of a sprocket wheel.

v.t., v.i. 

4. Zoology (of a female dog, lion, etc.) to give birth to (young).

• bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English; Old English hwelp (cognate with German Welf ); (verb, verbal) Middle English whelpen, derivative of the noun, nominal

whelp′less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 2. brat, urchin, whippersnapper.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

whelp / wɛlp/ noun

1. a young offspring of certain animals, esp of a wolf or dog
2. a young man or youth
3. a young child
4. any of the ridges, parallel to the axis, on the drum of a capstan to keep a rope, cable, or chain from slipping

verb

1. (of an animal or, disparagingly, a woman) to give birth to (young)

Etymology: Old English hwelp(a); related to Old High German hwelf, Old Norse hvelpr, Danish hvalp