I. ˈkapəd. ə l, -p(ə)t ə l adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin capitalis, from capit-, caput head — more at head
1. obsolete : of or relating to the head
his capital bruise — John Milton
2.
a. archaic : deadly , fatal
an inexorable capital enemy
a plague capital to many
b. : punishable by death : involving execution
a capital crime
a capital verdict
put to death a capital offender — John Milton
c. : involving or punishable by loss of legal personality
d. : most serious : fatally detrimental : egregious
a capital error
the capital folly of cutting herself off from her family — Arnold Bennett
3.
a. obsolete : standing at the beginning of a page, passage, or line
the illumination of the capital words in the manuscript
b. of a letter : comparatively large, clear, or elegant in form and in print like the majuscule letters of ancient inscriptions and consequently regarded as especially fit for use in initial position : of or conforming to the series A, B, C, etc. rather than a, b, c, etc.
4.
a. archaic : having authority or preeminence : most important : chief
the capital lords of the realm
— used of a person
b. : above comparable matters in importance, significance, worth, or influence : prominent , predominant , major , main
whatever is capital and essential in Christianity should be clearly and strenuously affirmed — Isaac Taylor
the capital importance of criticism in the work of creation itself — T.S.Eliot
5. of a city : most important ; specifically : being the seat of government
London is the capital city of England
6.
[ capital (II) ]
a. : consisting of, serving as, or intended as capital
b. : accruing to or from capital
c. : carried on or conducted by means of capital
d. : of or having to do with capital
7. : highly meritorious : most enjoyable : excellent , first-rate
a capital essay, still diverting after three quarters of a century — H.L.Mencken
capital dinners they give at those crack hotels — George Meredith
Synonyms: see chief
•
- with a capital
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: French or Italian; French, from Italian capitale, from capitale, adjective, principal, from Latin capitalis
1.
a. or capital goods or capital account : a stock of accumulated goods especially at a specified time and in contrast to income received during a specified period
b. : the value of these accumulated goods
c. or capital goods : accumulated goods devoted to the production of other goods : facilities or goods utilized as factors of production
capital is not money but means of production — Bertrand Russell
the employer who could set capital and land and labor to work — G.B.Shaw
d. : any accumulated factors of production capable of being owned
working capital in the form of plow beasts, heavy plows, and slaves — F.M.Stenton
e. : the proprietary claim in a business
f. : the principal of a loan as contrasted with interest
g. : net assets : excess of assets over liabilities
h. : capital stock
i. : accumulated possessions calculated to bring in income
a thousand acres of haying land meant a capital as reliable as government bonds — Margaret Deland
j. : accumulated assets, resources, sources of strength, or advantages utilized to aid in accomplishing an end or furthering a pursuit
the accumulated scientific and mathematical capital on which our technology flourishes — W.F.Albright
k. : available money
walking into Hollisburg on a capital of twenty cents — Elmer Davis
l. : persons holding capital : investors, potential or actual
troubled international conditions have made capital reluctant to invest heavily — American Guide Series: Arkansas
m. : asset, gain, or profit through utilization of an adventitious characteristic or development
to make poetic capital out of the suffering of others — C.D.Lewis
a keen and wary ruler who made capital of his weakness — Agnes Repplier
2.
[ capital (I) ]
a. : a capital letter ; especially : an intial capital letter
b. : a letter belonging to a style of alphabet modeled upon and departing in form relatively little from the style customarily used in inscriptions — see roman capital , rustic capital , square capitals; compare cursive , half uncial , minuscule , uncial
3.
[ capital (I) ]
a. : the chief city of a country or region
Scranton … capital of the anthracite basin — American Guide Series: Pennsylvania
b. : a city serving as a seat for the government of a larger area or as a seat of a government branch (as of sovereign, legislature, or administration)
Washington is the capital of the U.S.
c. : a city preeminent or dominant in some special activity — used with a specifying attributive
had once been considered the world's diamond capital
Paris reigned as the fashion capital of the world
San Antonio, a veritable cattle capital — American Guide Series: Texas
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English capitale, by folk etymology (influence of capital ) (I) from Old North French capitel, from Late Latin capitellum small head, top of column, diminutive of Latin capit-, caput head — more at head
1. : the head or uppermost member of a column or pilaster crowning the shaft and taking the weight of the entablature — see column illustration
2. : the head or cap especially of a chimney or a crucible