Capital Definition

kăpĭ-tl
noun
A city or town that is the official seat of government of a state, nation, etc.
Webster's New World
A city where a certain industry, activity, etc. is centered.
The rubber capital.
Webster's New World
Accumulated assets or advantages used for economic or political gain.
American Heritage
Wealth, in whatever form, used or capable of being used to produce more wealth.
Webster's New World
Wealth (money or property) owned or used in business by a person, corporation, etc.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
adjective
Most important or most serious; principal; chief.
A capital virtue.
Webster's New World
Punishable by or involving execution (originally by decapitation)
A capital offense.
Webster's New World
Of most political importance, as being the seat of government.
A capital city.
Webster's New World
First-rate; excellent.
A capital idea.
Webster's New World
Extremely serious.
A capital blunder.
American Heritage

Other Word Forms of Capital

Noun

Singular:
capital
Plural:
capitals

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Capital

  • make capital of

Origin of Capital

  • From Latin capitālis (“of the head”), in sense “head of cattle”, from caput (“head”) (English cap). Use in trade and finance originated in Medieval economies when a common but expensive transaction involved trading heads of cattle.

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English principal from Old French from Latin capitālis from caput head, money laid out kaput- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English from Anglo-Norman from Late Latin capitellum diminutive of Latin caput head kaput- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Compare chattel and kith and kine (“all one’s possessions”), which also use “cow” to mean “property”.

    From Wiktionary

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