Capital — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈka-pə-tᵊl/ cap·i·tal

Meaning & Definition of Capital

Capital (adjective)

  1. of or conforming to the series A, B, C, etc. rather than a, b, c, etc.
  2. being the seat of government
  3. chief in importance or influence

Capital (noun)

  1. a stock of accumulated goods especially at a specified time and in contrast to income received during a specified period; also, the value of these accumulated goods
  2. accumulated goods devoted to the production of other goods
  3. accumulated possessions calculated to bring in income
  4. the uppermost member of a column or pilaster crowning the shaft and taking the weight of the entablature

Capital (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest

    "during the 1980s Silicon Valley became the capital of the computer industry"

    similar: axis, base, center, central, core, cynosure, epicenter, eye, focus, ground zero, heart, hub, locus, mecca, navel, nerve center, nexus, nucleus, omphalos, seat, where it's at
    related: headquarters, happy hunting ground, hive, hotbed, hot spot, playground, playland, kernel, nub, pith, deep, thick, essence, quintessence, soul, attraction, lodestone, magnet, polestar

  2. the total of one's money and property

    "invested nearly all of their capital in the new business"

    similar: assets, fortune, means, opulence, riches, substance, wealth, wherewithal, worth
    related: belongings, chattels, effects, holdings, paraphernalia, possessions, things, bankroll, deep pockets, finances, funds, money, wallet, abundance, affluence, prosperity, success, treasure, valuables, accession, acquisition, personal property, personalty, property, nest egg, reserve, resources, savings, treasury
    near: debts, liabilities, indebtedness

Capital (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. coming before all others in importance

    "the capital goal of the effort is to assimilate the new immigrants"

    similar: arch, big, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one, numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, prior, sovereign, supreme
    related: distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior, high-level, senior, top, important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant, incomparable, matchless, unequaled, unparalleled, unsurpassed, celebrated, famed, famous, renowned
    opposite: last, least
    near: inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary

  2. of the very best kind

    "a truly capital idea, which I highly endorse"

    similar: A-OK, A1, awesome, bang-up, banner, beautiful, blue-chip, blue-ribbon, boffo, bonny (chiefly British), boss (slang), brag, brave, bully, bumper, choice, classic, cool (slang), corking, crackerjack, cracking, dandy, divine, dope (slang), down (slang), dynamite, excellent, fab, fabulous, famous, fantabulous (slang), fantastic, fine, first-class, first-rate, first-string, five-star, four-star, frontline, gangbusters, gilt-edged, gone (slang), grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-class, hot, hype (slang), immense, jim-dandy, keen, lovely, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, number one, numero uno, out-of-sight (slang), par excellence, peachy, peachy keen, phat (slang), prime, primo (slang), prize, prizewinning, quality, radical (slang), righteous (slang), sensational, slick, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, top-of-the-line, top-shelf, topflight, topping (chiefly British), unsurpassed, wizard (chiefly British), wonderful, out of this world, too much
    related: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, good, OK, passable, satisfactory, tolerable, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, high-test, premium, select, special, superfine, classical, standard, traditional
    opposite: atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched
    near: bad, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Capital

The most common words with a similar meaning to Capital:

Slang: boss, cool, dope, down, fantabulous, gone, hype, out-of-sight, phat, primo, radical, righteous
Chiefly British: bonny, topping, wizard
axis, base, center, central, core, cynosure, epicenter, eye, focus, ground zero, heart, hub, locus, mecca, navel, nerve center, nexus, nucleus, omphalos, seat, assets, fortune, means, opulence, riches, substance, wealth, wherewithal, worth, where it's at, arch, big, cardinal, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Capital

Words with the opposite meaning of Capital:

last, least, atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic, poor, rotten, terrible, vile, wretched

Related Words for Capital

headquarters, happy hunting ground, hive, hotbed, hot spot, playground, playland, kernel, nub, pith, deep, thick, essence, quintessence, soul, attraction, lodestone, magnet, polestar, belongings, chattels, effects, holdings, paraphernalia, possessions, things, bankroll, deep pockets, finances, funds

Near Antonyms of Capital

debts, liabilities, indebtedness, inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary, bad, low-grade, substandard, unsatisfactory, mediocre, middling, second-class, second-rate

Origin & Etymology of Capital

Middle English, "of the head, for the head (as a medication), chief, principal, (of a letter) larger than the other letters on the page (as an initial letter), deadly, mortal (of punishment, an enemy)," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, "of the head, chief, large (of a letter), mortal (of a sin)," borrowed from Medieval Latin capitālis "of or for the head, mortal, entailing loss of life (of a penalty or offense), initial (of a letter), chief, principal (of a city or religious house)," going back to Latin, "entailing loss of life (of a punishment or crime), deadly, implacable (of an enemy)," from capit-, caput "head, source, leading person, chief city of a state or province, a person's life when endangered or the target of a curse, one's life as forfeit for a crime" + -ālis -al:1head:1

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Capital

Words & Phrases Containing Capital

capital gain, capital goods, capital-intensive, capital punishment, capital stock, equity capital, human capital

Frequently Asked Questions about Capital

What does "Capital" mean?

"Capital" means of or conforming to the series A, B, C, etc. rather than a, b, c, etc.. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: of or conforming to the series A, B, C, etc. rather than a, b, c, etc.. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Capital"?

Other words for "Capital" include axis, base, center, central, core, cynosure, epicenter and eye. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Capital" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Capital"?

There are 244 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Capital". Common alternatives include axis, base, center, central, core, cynosure, epicenter, eye, focus and ground zero.

What is a slang word for "Capital"?

Slang words for "Capital" include boss, cool, dope, down, fantabulous and gone.

What is the opposite of "Capital"?

Antonyms of "Capital" include last, least, atrocious, awful, execrable, lousy, pathetic and poor. Near antonyms include debts, liabilities, indebtedness and inconsequential.

How do you use "Capital" in a sentence?

Examples of "Capital" in a sentence: "during the 1980s Silicon Valley became the capital of the computer industry"; "invested nearly all of their capital in the new business"; "the capital goal of the effort is to assimilate the new immigrants".

Is "Capital" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Capital" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Capital" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Capital" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.