# vampire cough

> English word · Noun

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

## Etymology
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.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/vampire-cough