Capital
/ˈkæpɪtəl/
Definitions
3 meaningsThe most important city or town of a country or region, usually its seat of government.
/ˈkæpɪtəl/
A city serving as a seat of government.
London is the capital of England.
💡 Simply: The main city of a country or area.
More Examples
Many tourists visit the capital city.
How It's Used
"Paris is the capital of France."
Wealth in the form of money or other assets owned by a person or organization or available for investment.
/ˈkæpɪtəl/
Venture capitalists provide capital for startups.
💡 Simply: Money used for investment.
More Examples
The project requires significant capital investment.
How It's Used
"The company needs more capital to expand its operations."
Of chief importance; main; principal.
/ˈkæpɪtəl/
First-rate or important.
Capital punishment is a controversial topic.
💡 Simply: Very important.
More Examples
This is a capital offense.
How It's Used
"This is a capital mistake."
Idioms & expressions
Capital punishment
The legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime.
"Capital punishment is a highly debated topic."
From Middle French capitale, from Latin capitalis 'of the head', from caput 'head'. The sense of 'most important' developed from the idea of the head being the most important part of the body.
The word's use in relation to finance developed later than its use as a geographical term.
Memory tip
Think 'cap' of a building, the top, the most important part.