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Origin and history of codon

codon(n.)

"one of a group of nucleotides that determine which amino acid is inserted at a given position," 1962, from code (n.) + -on.

also from 1962

Entries linking to codon

code(n.)

c. 1300, "systematic compilation of laws," from Old French code "system of laws, law-book" (13c.), from Latin codex "systematic classification of statutory law," earlier caudex "book," literally "tree trunk," hence, book made up of wooden tablets covered with wax for writing. De Vaan traces this through Proto-Italic *kaud-ek- to PIE *kehu-d- "cleaved, separate," which he also sees as the root of cauda "tail" (see coda).

Meaning "cipher, system of signals and the rules which govern their use" (the sense in secret code) is from 1808. Code-name is from 1879 (in telegraphy). Meaning "system of expressing information and instructions in a form usable by a computer" is from 1946.

-on

subatomic particle suffix, from ion.

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    Trends of codon

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

    More to explore

    sequence
    late 14c., in church music, a composition said or sung after the Alleluia and before the Gospel, from Old French sequence "answering verses" (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin sequentia "a following, a succession," from Latin sequentem (nominative sequens), present participl
    fate
    late 14c., "one's lot or destiny; predetermined course of life;" also "one's guiding spirit," from Old French fate and directly from Latin fata (source also of Spanish hado, Portuguese fado, Italian fato), neuter plural of fatum "prophetic declaration of what must be, oracle, pre
    ivory tower
    symbol of artistic or intellectual aloofness, by 1889, from French tour d'ivoire, used in 1837 by critic Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve (1804-1869) with reference to the poet Alfred de Vigny (1797-1863), whom he accused of excessive aloofness. Et Vigny, plus secret, comme en sa t
    screen
    mid-14c., screne, "upright piece of furniture providing protection from heat of a fire, drafts, etc.," probably from a shortened (Anglo-French? compare Anglo-Latin screna) variant of Old North French escren, Old French escran "fire-screen, tester of a bed" (early 14c.). This is o
    altruism
    1853, "unselfishness, devotion to the welfare of others, the opposite of egoism," from French altruisme, coined or popularized 1830 by French philosopher Auguste Comte, with -ism + autrui (Old French altrui) "of or to others," from Latin alteri, dative of alter "other" (see alter
    recreation
    late 14c., recreacioun, "refreshment or curing of a person, refreshment by eating," from Old French recreacion (13c.), from Latin recreationem (nominative recreatio) "recovery from illness," noun of action from past participle stem of recreare "to refresh, restore, make anew, rev
    aphrodisiac
    "preparation or drug which excites sexual desire," 1719, from Latinized form of Greek aphrodisiakos "inducing sexual desire," from Aphrodisios, "sacred to Aphrodite, pertaining to Aphrodite," Greek goddess of love and beauty (see Aphrodite), whose name also meant "sexual pleasure
    fortune
    c. 1300, "chance, luck as a force in human affairs," from Old French fortune "lot, good fortune, misfortune" (12c.), from Latin fortuna "chance, fate, good luck," from fors (genitive fortis) "chance, luck," possibly ultimately from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear ch
    solution
    late 14c., solucioun, "explanation, answer; interpretation of a dream; the dissolving of a substance in a liquid, transformation of matter to a liquid state," from Old French solucion "division, dissolving; explanation; payment" and directly from Latin solutionem (nominative solu
    metaphor
    "figure of speech by which a characteristic of one object is assigned to another, different but resembling  it or analogous to it; comparison by transference of a descriptive word or phrase," late 15c., methaphoris (plural), from French metaphore (Old French metafore, 13c.)

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    Dictionary entries near codon
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