I. ˈka-pə-t ə l, ˈkap-t ə l noun
Etymology: Middle English capitale, from Anglo-French capital, capitel, from Late Latin capitellum small head, top of column, diminutive of Latin capit-, caput head — more at head
Date: 13th century
: the uppermost member of a column or pilaster crowning the shaft and taking the weight of the entablature — see column illustration
II. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin capitalis, from capit-, caput
Date: 14th century
1. of a letter : of or conforming to the series A, B, C, etc. rather than a, b, c, etc.
2.
a. : punishable by death
a capital crime
b. : involving execution
capital punishment
c. : most serious
a capital error
3.
a. : chief in importance or influence
capital ships
the capital importance of criticism in the work of creation itself — T. S. Eliot
b. : being the seat of government
4. : of or relating to capital ; especially : relating to or being assets that add to the long-term net worth of a corporation
capital improvements
5. : excellent
a capital book
•
- with a capital
III. noun
Etymology: French or Italian; French, from Italian capitale, from capitale, adjective, chief, principal, from Latin capitalis
Date: circa 1639
1.
a.
(1) : a stock of accumulated goods especially at a specified time and in contrast to income received during a specified period ; also : the value of these accumulated goods
(2) : accumulated goods devoted to the production of other goods
(3) : accumulated possessions calculated to bring in income
b.
(1) : net worth
(2) : stock 7c(1)
c. : persons holding capital
d. : advantage , gain
make capital of the situation
e. : a store of useful assets or advantages
wasted their political capital on an unpopular cause
wrote from the capital of his emotionally desolate boyhood — E. L. Doctorow
2.
[ capital (II)]
a. : a capital letter ; especially : an initial capital letter
b. : a letter belonging to a style of alphabet modeled on the style customarily used in inscriptions
3.
[ capital (II)]
a. : a city serving as a seat of government
b. : a city preeminent in some special activity
the fashion capital