capital: Meaning and Definition of

cap•i•tal

Pronunciation: (kap'i-tl), [key]
— n.
  1. the city or town that is the official seat of government in a country, state, etc.: Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
  2. a city regarded as being of special eminence in some field of activity: New York is the dance capital of the world.
  3. See
  4. the wealth, whether in money or property, owned or employed in business by an individual, firm, corporation, etc.
  5. an accumulated stock of such wealth.
  6. any form of wealth employed or capable of being employed in the production of more wealth.
    1. assets remaining after deduction of liabilities; the net worth of a business.
    2. the ownership interest in a business.
  7. any source of profit, advantage, power, etc.; asset: His indefatigable drive is his greatest capital.
  8. capitalists as a group or class (distinguished from labor): High taxation has reduced the spending power of capital.
—adj.
  1. pertaining to financial capital: capital stock.
  2. principal; highly important: This guide offers suggestions of capital interest to travelers.
  3. chief, esp. as being the official seat of government of a country, state, etc.: the capital city of France.
  4. excellent or first-rate: a capital hotel; a capital fellow.
  5. See
  6. involving the loss of life: capital punishment.
  7. punishable by death: a capital crime; a capital offender.
  8. fatal; extremely serious: a capital error.

cap•i•tal

Pronunciation: (kap'i-tl), [key]
— n. Archit.
  1. the distinctively treated upper end of a column, pier, or the like.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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