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whelp (n.)

Old English hwelp "whelp, young of the dog," from a Germanic root related to Old Saxon hwelp, Old Norse hvelpr, Dutch welp, German hwelf; of unknown origin. Now largely displaced by puppy. Also applied to wild animals. Sense of "scamp" first recorded early 14c.

whelp (v.)

c. 1200, from whelp (n.). Related: Whelped; whelping.

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Definitions of whelp from WordNet
1
whelp (v.)
give birth to (a puppy);
the dog whelped
Synonyms: pup
2
whelp (n.)
young of any of various canines such as a dog or wolf;
Synonyms: pup
From wordnet.princeton.edu