capital in English
- capital⇄adj. 1. of capital; having to do with capital.
Ex. capital assets. Faced with the prospect of better business, the big companies are going ahead with capital expansion plans (Time).
2. very important; leading.
Ex. The invention of the - capital⇄capital, noun, adjective.
- capital⇄expr. make capital of, to take advantage of; use to one's advantage.
Ex. He made capital of his father's fame to get the job. - capital⇄noun 1a. the city or town where the government of a country, state, or province is officially located. Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States. Each state of the United States has a capital.
Ex. Rome has a mixture of worn elegance and
capital in Kashmiri कॉशुर
capital in Sindhi سنڌي
Capital
Part of Speech
noun
Pronunciation
/ˈkæpɪtl/
Definitions
- The city or town that functions as the seat of government for a country or region.
- Wealth or assets used to produce more wealth, often in business or investment contexts.
- In finance, the total value of a business or organization’s assets, including cash, investments, and property.
- In economics, a term for resources (money or assets) invested in enterprises to generate profit.
- Capital letters (in typography), the uppercase letters of the alphabet.
Usage Examples
- The capital of France is Paris.
- He invested a substantial amount of capital into the new startup.
- The company needs more capital to expand its operations.
- She wrote the title of the book using capital letters.
Etymology
From Latin "capitalis," meaning "of the head," from "caput," meaning "head." Originally referring to something of primary importance, it evolved to mean the main city in a country (the head city), as well as wealth or resources in a figurative sense.
Synonyms
- Metropolis (for city meaning)
- Wealth
- Funds
- Assets
- Principal
Antonyms
- Debt
- Liability
- Suburb (for city meaning)
Translations
| Language | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic | رأس المال | /ra's al-māl/ |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 资本 | /zīběn/ |
| French | capital | /kapɪtal/ |
| German | Kapital | /kaˈpɪtal/ |
| Spanish | capital | /kaˈpital/ |
| Hindi | पूंजी | /poonjī/ |
| Bengali | মূলধন | /muldhon/ |
| Gujarati | પ્રধান નગરી | /pradhaan nagari/ |
| Kannada | ಪೂಂಜಿ | /poonji/ |
| Malayalam | പൂജ്യം | /poojyam/ |
| Marathi | पूंजी | /poonjī/ |
| Odia | ପୂଂଜୀ | /punji/ |
| Punjabi | ਪੂੰਜੀ | /poongī/ |
| Tamil | பூங்கா | /poonga/ |
| Telugu | పుంజి | /punji/ |
| Russian | капитал | /kapʲɪˈtal/ |
| Italian | capitale | /kaˈpitaːle/ |
| Portuguese | capital | /kaˈpitaʊ/ |
| Japanese | 資本 | /shihon/ |
| Korean | 자본 | /jabon/ |
| Greek | κεφάλαιο | /kefálaio/ |
| Turkish | sermaye | /serˈmaːje/ |
| Swedish | kapital | /kɑːpɪˈtɑːl/ |
Regional Pronunciation Variations
- In British English, "capital" tends to be pronounced with a short, crisp "a" sound: /ˈkæpɪtl/.
- In American English, the pronunciation remains similar but may be slightly more relaxed, often with less emphasis on the second syllable.
Historical Usage
The term "capital" has been used since the 14th century, originating from the Latin "capitalis," meaning "of the head," referring to the head city of a region (the capital city). Over time, the word expanded in its application to refer to resources, particularly financial wealth used for business ventures. Today, "capital" is most commonly used to describe the financial resources or assets in economic, political, and business contexts.
Cultural Nuances
In many countries, the capital city holds significant cultural and historical value, serving as the center of government, administration, and sometimes education and commerce. However, the capital is not always the largest city. For example, in Brazil, the capital is Brasília, while São Paulo is the largest city. In economic terms, "capital" can also reflect a country's wealth, such as financial capital or intellectual capital, which are crucial for development and innovation.
More Information
The word "capital" has broad applications across various fields. In economics, "capital" refers to financial resources invested in businesses or used to produce more wealth. "Capital" is also used in political contexts to denote the seat of government of a country or region. The capital city often serves as the focal point for governmental, cultural, and economic activities. Understanding the term's different uses—whether referring to wealth, geography, or politics—can provide valuable insights into both historical and modern systems of governance and economy.