called also triplet
Examples of codon in a Sentence
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2022
Each codon provides instructions for creating a specific amino acid.
—Jonathon Keats, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2017
Notice that the change is fixed upon the third position in the codon.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2013
Every three consecutive nucleotides in this chain can constitute what’s called a codon.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2022
One way that viruses adapt is by encoding proteins using the same choice of codons as their host.
—David Cyranoski, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2020
One way is using genetic data to look at codons—triplets of DNA or RNA letters that are the instructions for making proteins.
—Megan Molteni, Wired, 23 Jan. 2020
Wei’s team compared the codons favoured by 2019-nCoV with those preferred by potential hosts including hedgehogs, pangolins, bats, chickens, humans and snakes.
—David Cyranoski, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2020
Wei’s team compared the codons preferred by 2019-nCoV to those preferred by a handful of potential hosts: humans, bats, chickens, hedgehogs, pangolins, and two species of snakes.
—Megan Molteni, Wired, 23 Jan. 2020
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'codon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
1962, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near codon
Cite this Entry
“Codon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/codon. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
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Medical Definition
codon
noun
called also triplet
More from Merriam-Webster on codon
Nglish: Translation of codon for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about codon
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