capital
/ˈkæpɪtl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkæpɪtl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈka-pə-tᵊl ˈkap-tᵊl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈkæp.ɪ.təl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkæp.ə.t̬əl/ (ame, ipa)
capital — noun
1. a city where a nation's government holds its meetings and carries out its offici
a city where a nation's government holds its meetings and carries out its official work
Paris is the capital of France and a major centre for art and culture.
countable: capital + of + country
The capital was decorated with flags for the national holiday.
When Leila visited the capital, she went to see the parliament building.
Each province in the country has its own capital city with government offices.
- seat of government
more formal; refers to the location of a government rather than the whole city
- administrative centre
British English; emphasises the bureaucratic function
用法筆記
Often modified by the name of the country or region, as in 'the capital of Japan'. Can be used attributively: 'capital city'.
常見錯誤
2. a city or place regarded as the leading location worldwide or within a region fo
a city or place regarded as the leading location worldwide or within a region for a specific industry, pastime, or product
Milan is widely regarded as the fashion capital of the world.
capital + of + [activity] for metaphorical centre
Los Angeles has long been the entertainment capital of the United States.
The small coastal town became the surfing capital of the region after hosting several international competitions.
Detroit was once known as the automotive capital of the world.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (CITY): this sense describes what a place is famous for, not where a government sits. The pattern is usually 'the [activity] capital of [place]'.
3. the larger version of a written character, used for the opening word of a senten
the larger version of a written character, used for the opening word of a sentence and for the unique names of people, places, and brands
Please write your name in capital letters on the application form.
countable: capital letter / capital letters
The word 'Taiwan' begins with a capital T, not a small t.
Teachers remind students to start every sentence with a capital.
Yara noticed that the street sign used all capitals for the street name.
- uppercase letter
more technical; used in computing and typography
- upper case
written as two words or hyphenated 'upper-case'; an alternative way to name the set
- lowercase letter
the small form of a letter, used for most writing
用法筆記
The short form 'a capital' (omitting 'letter') is common in classroom and proofreading contexts. Plural 'capitals' is also used informally.
常見錯誤
4. money or property that a person or company puts into a business or investment wi
money or property that a person or company puts into a business or investment with the aim of earning more money over time
The company raised enough capital to open three new branches overseas.
uncountable: raise capital
Starting a restaurant requires a large amount of capital for equipment and rent.
Investors provided the capital needed for the renewable-energy research project.
A bank loan gave the startup enough capital to hire its first five employees.
- funds
more general; can refer to money set aside for a specific purpose
- investment
focuses on money put into something expecting a return
- assets
broader; includes anything of value owned, not just money
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense — do not say 'a capital' or 'capitals' when referring to money. Also used in compounds: 'capital investment', 'capital market', 'capital gains'.
常見錯誤
5. the ornamental upper piece of a supporting pillar, wider than the pillar's main
the ornamental upper piece of a supporting pillar, wider than the pillar's main body and often decorated with carvings
The ancient Greek temple's marble capital was carved with delicate leaf patterns.
countable: architectural term
Each pillar in the museum hall has a beautifully decorated capital in the Corinthian style.
The tour guide explained that the column's capital supported the weight of the roof above it.
The stone carver spent weeks shaping the capital for the new courthouse pillars.
- column top
everyday language; less precise than 'capital'
- head
rare; appears in older architectural texts
- base
the bottom part of a column
用法筆記
Technical term in architecture. Three main classical styles — Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian — each with a distinct type of capital. Usually encountered in descriptions of historical buildings.
capital — adjective
1. written in the larger form of a letter, as used at the start of a sentence or a
written in the larger form of a letter, as used at the start of a sentence or a proper name
Is the first letter of your surname capital or lowercase?
The sign was printed in capital letters so that everyone could read it clearly.
attributive: capital letters
Please make sure the title is written in a capital A followed by lowercase text.
A capital C at the start of a word often signals that it is a proper noun.
- uppercase
more common in computing and technical contexts; also used predicatively ('This letter is uppercase')
- upper-case
hyphenated variant; interchangeable with 'uppercase'
- lowercase
the small form of letters used for most writing
用法筆記
Usually placed before a noun ('capital letter', 'capital A'). When used predicatively ('This A is capital'), it sounds dated or technical — 'uppercase' is more natural in that position.
常見錯誤
2. relating to a crime or legal case that is considered serious enough to be punish
relating to a crime or legal case that is considered serious enough to be punishable by death
Murder is treated as a capital offence in many countries around the world.
collocation: capital offence
The lawyer argued that the case did not meet the definition of a capital crime under state law.
Countries that still have capital punishment usually restrict it to the most serious crimes.
The jury had to decide whether the defendant was guilty of a capital offense.
- punishable by death
explanatory phrase; not an adjective but a post-modifier
- life-threatening
⚠ different meaning — 'capital' in this sense relates to legal punishment, not danger
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun in fixed phrases: 'capital offence', 'capital crime', 'capital punishment'. Not used as a standalone predicate (✗ 'The crime was capital').
常見錯誤
3. most important; being the main or fundamental element among a set of things
most important; being the main or fundamental element among a set of things
The capital objective of the climate summit was to agree on emissions targets.
formal register: capital objective
Reducing waste is a matter of capital importance for the manufacturing industry.
The board discussed the capital question of whether to expand into Asian markets.
The capital aim of the new policy is to improve access to healthcare for rural families.
For the team, winning the championship was a matter of capital importance.
用法筆記
Rather formal and somewhat old-fashioned. More common in fixed expressions like 'capital importance' than in everyday speech. 'Chief', 'primary', or 'main' are more natural alternatives in modern English.
4. extremely good; of the highest quality or standard
extremely good; of the highest quality or standard
That was a capital idea for improving the community garden.
informal British: capital idea
The chef prepared a capital meal for the wedding guests.
Rohan gave a capital performance in the school play last Friday.
A capital suggestion, Priya — let us try that approach first.
- excellent
standard modern equivalent; neutral register
- first-rate
slightly formal; emphasises top quality
- splendid
similar old-fashioned tone; British English
- brilliant
very common in modern British English for 'very good'
用法筆記
Considered old-fashioned or dated in most English-speaking regions, but still in occasional use in British English for humorous or emphatic effect. 'Excellent' or 'brilliant' are more common alternatives today.