capital

1.
n., adj., & int.
—n.
1 the most important town or city of a country or region, usu. its seat of government and administrative centre.
2 a the money or other assets with which a company starts in business. b accumulated wealth, esp. as used in further production. c money invested or lent at interest.
3 capitalists generally.
4 a capital letter.
—adj.
1 a principal; most important; leading. b colloq. excellent, first-rate.
2 a involving or punishable by death (capital punishment; a capital offence). b (of an error etc.) vitally harmful; fatal.
3 (of letters of the alphabet) large in size and of the form used to begin sentences and names etc.
—int. expressing approval or satisfaction.
Phrases and idioms:
capital gain a profit from the sale of investments or property. capital goods goods, esp. machinery, plant, etc., used or to be used in producing commodities (opp. consumer goods). capital levy
1 the appropriation by the State of a fixed proportion of the wealth in the country.
2 a wealth tax. capital sum a lump sum of money, esp. payable to an insured person. capital territory a territory containing the capital city of a country. capital transfer tax hist. (in the UK) a tax levied on the transfer of capital by gift or bequest etc.
Usage:
Replaced in 1986 by inheritance tax. make capital out of use to one's advantage. with a capital — emphatically such (art with a capital A).
Derivatives:
capitally adv.
Etymology: ME f. OF f. L capitalis f. caput -itis head
2.
n. Archit. the head or cornice of a pillar or column.
Etymology: ME f. OF capitel f. LL capitellum dimin. of L caput head