Meanings
nounstart-up (countable and uncountable, plural start-ups)
plural start-ups
- alternativecountableuncountableAlternative spelling of startup.
[…] a new peak-time bus service from Stroud to London was announced by a start-up company with the stated aim of combatting the lack of affordable travel options in the area.
2026 July 22, Richard Wilcock, “Open Access: only possible for the giants?”, in RAIL, number 1066, page 23
Origin
Deverbal from start up.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
start-up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/start-up
MLA
“start-up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/start-up. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “start-up,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/start-up.
Source: start-up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.