capital
1the city or town that is the official seat of government in a country, state, etc.: Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
a city regarded as being of special eminence in some field of activity: New York is the dance capital of the world.
the wealth, whether in money or property, owned or employed in business by an individual, firm, corporation, etc.
an accumulated stock of such wealth.
any form of wealth employed or capable of being employed in the production of more wealth.
Accounting.
assets remaining after deduction of liabilities; the net worth of a business.
the ownership interest in a business.
any source of profit, advantage, power, etc.; an asset or assets (usually used in combination): He has the political capital to push through the legislation.His indefatigable drive is his greatest capital.
capitalists as a group or class (distinguished from labor): High taxation has reduced the spending power of capital.
pertaining to financial capital: capital stock.
principal; highly important: This guide offers suggestions of capital interest to travelers.
chief, especially as being the official seat of government of a country, state, etc.: the capital city of France.
excellent or first-rate: a capital hotel; a capital fellow.
indicating a capital letter; uppercase: Nouns in German are capitalized, so Schatz is written with a capital “S.”
involving the loss of life: capital punishment.
punishable by death: a capital crime;a capital offender.
fatal; extremely serious: a capital error.
Origin of capital
1synonym study For capital
confusables note For capital
Other words for capital
Opposites for capital
Other words from capital
- cap·i·tal·ness, noun
Words that may be confused with capital
- capital , Capitol (see confusables note at the current entry)
Words Nearby capital
Other definitions for capital (2 of 2)
the distinctively treated upper end of a column, pier, or the like.
Origin of capital
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use capital in a sentence
Amazon on Thursday announced the first companies to receive money from a $2 billion venture capital fund it formed to help combat climate change.
Podcast: Amazon exec on the company's Climate Pledge Fund | Dan Primack | September 17, 2020 | AxiosThat’s been the pattern for other recent high-profile, venture-capital backed IPOs.
Investors in Snowflake’s IPO should prepare for a second-day slump | Oliver Staley | September 17, 2020 | QuartzThis capital has helped to de-risk the fund’s investments, allowing it the flexibility to invest in firms that banks might turn away.
Opportunity Zones haven’t fully reached their potential, but don’t write them off yet | jakemeth | September 16, 2020 | FortuneSo the 11% drop in the valuation would leave investors with a 1% annual capital gain.
Will tech stocks stumble or slide? What the fundamentals tell us | Shawn Tully | September 16, 2020 | FortuneThose arrangements offer businesses more flexibility with their capital.
Gunshots rang out in Paris this morning on a second day of deadly violence that has stunned the French capital.
The mistletoe must have been hanging right across the aisle on capital Hill.
The second major split between the capital and the court occurred over oral care.
Ah, gay Paree—the French capital has practically announced its own LGBT friendliness since the Belle Époque.
And the capital city is a veritable utopia of acceptance and integration.
"capital, capital," his lordship would remark with great alacrity, when there was no other way of escape.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James WillsWhen we speak against one capital vice, we ought to speak against its opposite; the middle betwixt both is the point for virtue.
Pearls of Thought | Maturin M. BallouThe moon rose on a terrified mob trudging or riding the forty miles of road between Meerut and the Mogul capital.
The Red Year | Louis TracyIt is the quiet chef lieu of the Allier, and was once the capital of the Bourbonnais.
All possibility of a general increase of wages depended on the relation of available capital to the numbers of the working men.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen Leacock
British Dictionary definitions for capital (1 of 2)
/ (ˈkæpɪtəl) /
the seat of government of a country or other political unit
(as modifier): a capital city
material wealth owned by an individual or business enterprise
wealth available for or capable of use in the production of further wealth, as by industrial investment
make capital of or make capital out of to get advantage from
(sometimes capital) the capitalist class or their interests: capital versus labour
accounting
the ownership interests of a business as represented by the excess of assets over liabilities
the nominal value of the authorized or issued shares
(as modifier): capital issues
any assets or resources, esp when used to gain profit or advantage
a capital letter: Abbreviation: cap., cap
(as modifier): capital B
with a capital letter (used to give emphasis to a statement): he is mean with a capital M
(prenominal) law involving or punishable by death: a capital offence
very serious; fatal: a capital error
primary, chief, or principal: our capital concern is that everyone be fed
of, relating to, or designating the large modern majuscule letter used chiefly as the initial letter in personal names and place names and other uniquely specificatory nouns, and often for abbreviations and acronyms: Compare small (def. 9) See also upper case
mainly British excellent; first-rate: a capital idea
Origin of capital
1British Dictionary definitions for capital (2 of 2)
/ (ˈkæpɪtəl) /
the upper part of a column or pier that supports the entablature: Also called: chapiter, cap
Origin of capital
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for capital (1 of 2)
In architecture, the top portion of a column.
Notes for capital
Money used to finance the purchase of the means of production, such as machines, or the machines themselves.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with capital
see make capital out of.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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