Pronunciation: [wˈɛlpt] (IPA) 
The word "whelped" is spelled with the letters "w-h-e-l-p-e-d" and is pronounced /wɛlpt/. It is the past tense of the verb "whelp," which means to give birth to a litter of animals, particularly dogs. The "w" at the beginning is silent, so the word is pronounced with the "h" sound first. The "e" is needed to indicate the short "e" sound like in "helmet." The "l" and "p" sounds are pronounced together with a consonant cluster.
Whelped is a term that is primarily associated with animals, particularly dogs. It refers to the act of giving birth to a litter of puppies. It specifically describes the moment when a female dog, or a bitch, delivers her offspring. This term is commonly used in the context of dog breeding and animal husbandry.
The word whelped is often used to denote the birthing process of an animal, emphasizing the actual act of giving birth as opposed to the overall process of pregnancy. It can also be used as a past participle to describe the event that has already occurred. For example, one might say, "The dog whelped a litter of five healthy puppies yesterday."
Whelped can also be used more broadly to describe the origin or birth of other animals. However, it is most commonly associated with dogs due to the significance of the term in the field of dog breeding.
In summary, whelped is a term that refers to the act of giving birth to a litter of puppies. It is often used to describe the birthing process of dogs, emphasizing the actual moment of delivery. This term is predominantly used in the context of dog breeding and animal husbandry.
The word "whelped" is derived from the Middle English "whelpe", which means a young dog or a puppy. It evolved from the Old English word "hwelp", which also referred to a young dog. The term can be traced back further to the Proto-Germanic word "hwelpaz". It shares a common Germanic root with related words in other Germanic languages, such as the Old Norse "hvelpr" and Old High German "hwelf". Ultimately, the origin of the word can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*kwel-", meaning "to revolve" or "to turn". The concept of a young dog being named after "revolving" or "turning" likely comes from the notion of puppies repeatedly turning or rolling about during their early stages of life.
