Etymograph

English

start codon

Start codon comes from English start ‘indicating first, initial’.

  1. English1500–presentstart1‘indicating first, initial’
  2. Englishtodaystart codon1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English start codon

Lineage

  1. English1500–presentstartWiktionary, English start codon‘indicating first, initial’
  2. Englishtodaystart codonWiktionary, English start codon

A compound of start ‘indicating first, initial’ + codon

Proto-West Germanic *sturtijan ‘to fall down, tumble’

Old English styrtan ‘to leap up, start’

Middle English sterten ‘to leap up suddenly, rush out’

English start

Ancient Greek κώδεια ‘poppyhead’

Ancient Greek κώδων ‘bell’

Latin codon ‘codon: a handbell used for summoning monks’

English codon

Every English word from English start

Today it means

noun The codon at which translation of mRNA into protein starts, encoding the first amino acid.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “start codon”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / English start / start codon

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