startup
/ˈstɑɹtˌʌp/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: startups
Sense 1
Meaning · English
The act or process of starting a process or machine.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A new company or organization or business venture designed for rapid growth.
Noun
Examples
Since the launch early last year of Udacity and Coursera, two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to cont
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “startup” mean?
The act or process of starting a process or machine.
Is “startup” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.