capital
gb/kˈæpɪtəl/ us/kˈæpɪtəl/
A1
English
~ 900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Main city where government is based
The main city of a country or state where the government works.
Usage pattern:
[capital] of [a country/region]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'capital' with 'capitol' (the building where lawmakers meet).
Synonyms
metropolis (A large, important city, not always the seat of government)
Antonyms
provincial town (A smaller town outside the main political center)
Collocations
capital city
|national capital
|state capital
|capital of France
Themes
geography
|politics
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
- Canberra became the capital of Australia in 1913.
- The capital is home to many government buildings and embassies.
- Mexico City is a bustling capital with millions of residents.
Learner examples
- London is the capital of England.
- Beijing is the capital of China.
- Paris is the capital of France.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Money or assets for business
Money or things you own that you use to start or grow a business.
Usage pattern:
raise [capital] for [a business/project]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'capital' (money) with 'capitol' or 'capital' meaning 'city'. Context is key.
Synonyms
funds (General term for money available for a purpose)
Antonyms
debt (Money owed, as opposed to money owned for investment)
Collocations
venture capital
|working capital
|investment capital
|raise capital
Themes
business
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company raised capital to expand its operations.
- You need significant capital to open a factory.
- Venture capital firms invest in startups with high growth potential.
Learner examples
- We need more capital to start the shop.
- They have enough capital to buy new machines.
- He used his capital to open a café.
Noun
A2
entity
3
Uppercase letter in writing
A big letter used at the start of names, sentences, etc.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'capital' (uppercase letter) with 'capitol' or other meanings of 'capital'.
Synonyms
uppercase letter (Technical term for a large form letter)
Antonyms
lowercase letter (The smaller form of a letter)
Collocations
capital letter
|capital A
|write in capitals
Themes
language
|writing
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Please write your name in capital letters.
- 'London' starts with a capital L.
- The document should be typed entirely in capitals.
Learner examples
- My name starts with a capital M.
- We use a capital at the start of a sentence.
- Write 'Tom' with a capital T.
adjective
formal
C1
property
4
Excellent; first-rate quality
Very good; excellent.
Synonyms
excellent (General term for very good quality)
Antonyms
poor (Low in quality)
Collocations
a capital idea
|capital performance
Themes
quality
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- That was a capital suggestion you made.
- We had a capital time at the party.
- Her performance in the play was simply capital.
Learner examples
- This is a capital idea!
- We had a capital day at the park.
- He did a capital job on the project.
adjective
formal
B2
property
5
Punishable by death
A crime that can be punished by death.
Synonyms
death-penalty-related (Specifically linked to crimes punishable by death)
Antonyms
non-capital offense (A crime not punishable by death)
Collocations
capital punishment
|capital crime
Themes
law
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Murder is considered a capital offense in some states.
- He was tried for a capital crime and found guilty.
- Capital punishment remains controversial worldwide.
Learner examples
- Murder is a capital crime in that country.
- Some people do not agree with capital punishment.
- He was guilty of a capital offense.
Grammar
Dictionary form
capital
IPA
GB/kˈæpɪtəl/
US/kˈæpɪtəl/
Syllables & stress
cap - it - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cap)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: capital
Noun
- Base: capital
- Plural: capital, capitals
Word family
Forms
capitals
noun
Core family
capitalize
verb B2
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
lowercase
adjective
Expressions
capital city
1/kˈæpɪtəl sˈɪti/
fixed phrase
Main city of a country or state government
The main city where the government of a country or state works.
Examples
- Ottawa is the capital city of Canada.
- The capital city attracts many tourists each year.
raise capital
1/ɹˈeɪz kˈæpɪtəl/
fixed phrase
Get money to start or grow business/project
To get money to start or grow a business or project, often from investors or banks.
Examples
- They plan to raise capital through a public offering.
- The nonprofit raised capital from generous donors.
working capital
1/wˈɚkɪŋ kˈæpɪtəl/
fixed phrase
technical
Money available for daily business use
Money that a business can use for its daily work after paying what it owes.
Examples
- The company improved its working capital by reducing expenses.
- Working capital is essential for keeping operations running smoothly.
capital punishment
1/kˈæpɪtəl pˈʌnɪʃmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
Death penalty as legal punishment
When the law says a person must die as punishment for a serious crime.
Examples
- Many countries have abolished capital punishment.
- The case reignited debate over the use of capital punishment.
- The debate over capital punishment remains highly emotional.
- He is strongly opposed to capital punishment on moral grounds.
venture capital
1/vˈɛnt͡ʃɚ kˈæpɪtəl/
fixed phrase
technical
High-risk startup funding
Money invested in new businesses that may grow quickly but could fail.
Examples
- The startup secured venture capital from several firms.
- Venture capital is essential for many tech startups.
- Venture capital can help small companies grow quickly.
- He works for a firm specializing in venture capital.