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startup

n.
US //ˈstɑɹˌtəp// UK //stˈɑːtʌp// start·up
  1. 1 a new company (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Business

    a new business or organization that is designed to grow very quickly, often in technology.

    a newly established business venture, typically characterized by innovation and a scalable business model aimed at rapid growth.

    Example

    She left her job at the bank to join a small tech startup in London.

    Example

    The venture capital firm specializes in seed-stage startups that focus on sustainable energy solutions and carbon capture technology.
  2. 2 starting a machine (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Computing

    the act of starting a machine, a computer, or a complicated process.

    the process of setting a system, machine, or software application into operation.

    Example

    The machine makes a loud humming noise during startup.

    Example

    The system administrator identified a script that was significantly delaying the server startup during the morning peak hours.
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  1. 3 an upstart (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic

    someone who has suddenly become important or famous but does not have much experience.

    a person who has suddenly risen to a position of wealth or power but lacks the appropriate social background or experience.

    Example

    The old lords looked down on the young startup who had just bought the estate.

    Example

    In the nineteenth-century novel, the protagonist is often depicted as a social startup attempting to navigate the rigid hierarchies of the aristocracy.
Etymology 1

Deverbal from start up.

Etymology 2

From start + up, describing a boot that starts up (reaches up) to the middle of the leg.

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