# start vs startup

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### start
*noun · IPA /stɑːt/ · frequency rank #248*
The beginning of an activity.

### startup
*noun · IPA /ˈstɑɹtˌʌp/ · frequency rank #9,256*
The act or process of starting a process or machine.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/start-vs-startup