codon

co·don | \ ˈkō-ˌdän

How to pronounce codon (audio)

\

Definition of codon

: a specific sequence of three consecutive nucleotides that is part of the genetic code and that specifies a particular amino acid in a protein or starts or stops protein synthesis

— called also triplet

Examples of codon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The same general argument could apply to whether three is the best number of letters for constituting a codon. — Quanta Magazine, "Is a Bigger Genetic Code Better? Get Ready to Find Out," 2 Jan. 2018 Researchers studying the genetic code have gradually determined that its codon-amino acid assignments are decidedly not random. — Quanta Magazine, "Is a Bigger Genetic Code Better? Get Ready to Find Out," 2 Jan. 2018 In modern strains, it has been reduced to an imperfect, nonfunctional copy called a pseudogene, thanks to a stop codon in the middle of its sequence. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Ancient DNA reveals the secrets of a devastating European disease," 26 Sep. 2018 Repurposing just one codon across all 20,000 human genes will require hundreds of thousands of DNA changes. — Elie Dolgin, Scientific American, "Scientists Downsize Bold Plan to Make Human Genome from Scratch," 1 May 2018 Because viruses’ genes include the redundant codons. — Sharon Begley, STAT, "Genome ‘writers’ set their first goal: recoding human cells to resist viruses," 1 May 2018 And life can get by with only one codon for each amino acid. — Sharon Begley, STAT, "Genome ‘writers’ set their first goal: recoding human cells to resist viruses," 1 May 2018 Church’s team used synthesis in follow-up work to recode seven codons in the E. coli genome. — Elie Dolgin, Scientific American, "Scientists Downsize Bold Plan to Make Human Genome from Scratch," 1 May 2018 Hysolli explains that, rather than synthesize every nucleotide in my Y chromosome, Church’s team will focus on discrete genetic units, called codons, that determine what kind of amino acids (and, eventually, proteins) are produced by a cell. — David Ewing Duncan, WIRED, "The Next Best Version of Me: How to Live Forever," 27 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'codon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about codon

Dictionary Entries near codon

Statistics for codon

Cite this Entry

“Codon.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/codon. Accessed 21 January 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

bonhomie

good-natured easy friendliness

Test Your Vocabulary

Intact Latin Quiz

What did focus mean in Latin?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.