Capital

Definition

Capital is a noun and an adjective. As a noun, it refers to a city that serves as the seat of government for a country or region, wealth in the form of assets, or an uppercase letter. As an adjective, it describes something of primary importance or excellence, or in financial contexts, relating to wealth or assets.

Parts of Speech

• Noun
• Adjective

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈkæpɪtəl/
• Respelling: KAP-i-tuhl

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈkæpɪtəl/
• Respelling: KAP-i-tuhl

Etymology

The word "capital" comes from the Latin "capitalis," meaning "of the head" or "chief," derived from "caput," meaning "head." It evolved in Late Latin to signify principal cities and wealth, and was adopted into Old French as "capital" before entering English in the 13th century.

Derivatives

• Capitalism (noun)
• Capitalist (noun/adjective)
• Capitalization (noun)
• Capitalize (verb)
• Capitol (noun, specific to government buildings)

Synonyms

• Metropolis (for city)
• Wealth (for assets)
• Main (for importance)

Antonyms

• None

Usage

The term "capital" is commonly used to refer to principal cities, financial resources, or matters of importance. For example, "Paris is the capital of France," "She invested capital in her business," and "Education is of capital importance."

Related Terms

• Metropolis: A major city, often the principal city in a region or country.
• Capitol: A specific building where a legislative body meets, particularly in the United States.
• Wealth: An abundance of valuable possessions or financial resources.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• A city that serves as the seat of government for a country or region: Refers to the city where a nation’s or state's central government is located.
  • Example: "Tokyo is the capital of Japan."
• Wealth in the form of money or assets: Used in financial contexts to refer to resources invested or available for use.
  • Example: "They need more capital to expand their business."
• An uppercase letter: Refers to the larger form of alphabetic characters, typically used at the beginning of sentences and proper nouns.
  • Example: "Names should begin with a capital letter."

Adjective

• Of primary importance or excellent quality: Describes something of utmost significance or top quality.
  • Example: "It’s of capital importance to arrive on time."
• Relating to wealth or assets: Used in financial contexts to denote financial resources or investments.
  • Example: "They are raising capital funds for the project."