- capital
- capital1noun1》 the most important city or town of a country or region, usually its seat of government and administrative centre.↘a place particularly associated with a specified activity: the fashion capital of the world.2》 wealth owned by a person or organization or invested, lent, or borrowed.↘the excess of a company's assets over its liabilities.3》 a capital letter.adjective1》 (of an offence or charge) liable to the death penalty.2》 (of a letter of the alphabet) large in size and of the form used to begin sentences and names.3》 informal, dated excellent.Phrasesmake capital out of use to one's own advantage.with a capital —— used for emphasis: she was ugly with a capital U.Derivativescapitally adverbOriginME (as adjective in the sense 'relating to the head or top'): via OFr. from L. capitalis, from caput 'head'.————————capital2noun Architecture the distinct, typically broader section at the head of a pillar or column.OriginME: from OFr. capitel, from late L. capitellum 'little head', dimin. of L. caput.
English new terms dictionary. 2014.