capital
capital Lexical Profile
capital Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to or designating an uppercase letter of the alphabet, used at the beginning of a sentence or proper noun.
"Please make sure that every proper noun in your essay begins with a capital letter."
Relating to accumulated financial wealth, long-term assets, or major investment expenditures.
"The manufacturing firm approved several capital improvements to modernize its assembly line."
Involving or punishable by the legal forfeiture of life.
"The defense attorney argued passionately against the imposition of a capital sentence."
Primary, principal, or most serious in importance or consequence.
"Failing to verify the primary sources was a capital error in his historical research."
British First-rate, admirable, or thoroughly enjoyable (now somewhat dated).
"Going for a brisk walk across the moors before lunch sounds like a capital idea."
• noun
Wealth in the form of money, property, or other financial assets owned by a person or organization and available for investment or production.
"The technology startup raised sufficient venture capital to expand its engineering team."
The city or municipality that functions as the official seat of government and administrative center of a country, state, or province.
"Edinburgh has served as the historic and political capital of Scotland since the fifteenth century."
A letter of the alphabet written or printed in its large uppercase form, used to begin sentences and proper names.
"Please print your full name in block capitals at the top of the registration form."
The topmost, often decorative architectural member of a column or pilaster, crowning the shaft and supporting the entablature.
"Corinthian columns are easily recognized by their ornate capitals carved with stylized acanthus leaves."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'capital' with its homophone 'capitol': 'capitol' refers exclusively to a specific legislative building (such as the U.S. Capitol or a state capitol), whereas 'capital' covers all other senses including the seat of government, financial wealth, and uppercase letters.
• Rhymes for capital
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'capital', from Latin 'capitalis' ('of the head'), derived from 'caput' ('head'). The financial sense arose in Italian ('capitale') during the Renaissance to denote the principal sum of money or head of cattle owned.