Setup Is a Noun, Set Up Is a Verb
A setup is an arrangement of equipment or a trick. Written as two words it is a verb, and the difference matters.
A setup is an arrangement of equipment, a plan, or a trick designed to make someone appear guilty. The spelling carries the grammar: *setup* as one word is a noun, *set up* as two is a verb. You *set up* the equipment, and then you have a good *setup*. English does this consistently — *login* and *log in*, *pickup* and *pick up*, *breakup* and *break up*. In comedy, the setup is the first part of a joke and the punchline the second.
- An arrangement. *A good setup.*
- A trick or frame. *It was a setup.*
- A joke's first part. *Setup and punchline.*
- Set up — the verb. *Set up the tent.*
- Old English — *settan*, to place. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | setup | The setup. |
| Plural | setups | Setups. |
| Verb | set up | Set it up. |
| Past | set up | Set up. |
| Adjective | set-up | Set-up costs. |
- His studio setup is impressive.Noun.
- Please set up the chairs.Verb.
- The whole thing was a setup.Trick.
Noun and verb pairs that split
- Setup / set up — an arrangement, to arrange
- Login / log in — an account, to enter it
- Pickup / pick up — a vehicle or collection, to collect
- Backup / back up — a copy, to make one
- Breakup / break up — an ending, to end
From *set up*, a phrasal verb built on Old English *settan*, to place, plus *up*. The noun spelling dates from the 1800s.
Setup or set up?
Setup is the noun, set up the verb. You set up the room and then admire the setup.
Is set-up with a hyphen correct?
It is used as an adjective before a noun, as in set-up costs, though many style guides now prefer the single word.