Capital vs Capitol | Definition, Difference & Examples

Capital and capitol are two nouns that are spelled almost identically and pronounced the same. Their meanings are different, however.

Capital has quite a number of meanings and is the more common word. It is a noun that refers to the governing city of a nation or province, an uppercase letter, or financial assets. It is also an adjective that means “excellent,” “primary,” or “punishable by death.”

Capitol is less common and is used to describe a government building that houses a state or national legislature. When referring specifically to the building in Washington, D.C., that houses the US Congress or to a particular state capitol building, it is spelled with an uppercase “C.”

Capital in a sentence examples Capitol in a sentence examples
London is the capital city of the United Kingdom.

The hardest thing about starting a business can be finding the capital you need.

In most countries in the world, capital punishment has been abolished.

Nelson Mandela was accorded the honor of addressing both houses of Congress at the Capitol in 1990.

Some people consider the Iowa State Capitol to be the finest in the USA.

I’ve only been inside two state capitol buildings.

Tip
A QuillBot Grammar Check can help ensure you use “capital” and “capitol” correctly!

Capital as a noun

Capital has many meanings and uses, some of which are more common than others. In the world of finance, it often refers to money that is available for investment or as collateral.

Capital meaning assets in a sentence examples
With all their capital tied up in property, the owners were actually quite cash poor.

Sasha was delighted that the first round of fundraising exceeded her needs for start-up capital.

The administrative center of a country or state is known as the capital. In the phrase “capital city,” capital is an adjective, and the noun phrase has the same meaning.

Capital referring to a city in a sentence examples
Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic.

Paris is the capital city of France.

An uppercase letter can also be called a capital, or a capital letter (where “capital” is an adjective).

Capital meaning uppercase in a sentence example
You should check your institution’s style guide for the rules on when to use capitals.

Capital as an adjective

When used as an adjective, capital means “vital” or “principal.” A more old-fashioned meaning is “excellent.”

Capital meaning principal or excellent in a sentence examples
Housing is the capital concern of young professionals in the city.

The friends thought that a murder mystery evening was a capital idea.

In legal systems that still have the death penalty (or “capital punishment”), capital means “punishable by death.”

Capital meaning punishable by death in a sentence examples
Once again, the parliament rejected the reintroduction of capital punishment.

Until it was repealed, arson in a royal shipyard remained the last capital offense.

Capitol is a noun

Capitol (spelled with an “o”) is the main building where a state or national legislature meets. The term is capitalized when referring to a specific state’s building. The United States Congress building is known as the Capitol (with an uppercase “C”).

Capitol is a noun in a sentence examples
No trip to Washington, D.C., is complete without a tour of the Capitol.

The Texas Capitol in Austin is, of course, the largest in the USA.

State senators typically have offices in their state’s capitol building.

Frequently asked questions about capital vs capitol

Is it nation’s capital or capitol?

The principal city of a country or state is known as the capital city (e.g., “Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya”). The building where the legislatures meet is sometimes called the capitol (e.g., “Honolulu’s capitol is one of the more unusual legislative buildings in the USA”).

Not every legislative building is called a capitol; for instance in the UK it is called the Houses of Parliament, and when the two houses of the French parliament meet together, they do so at the Palace of Versailles.

When referring to the meeting place for the US Congress, Capitol has an uppercase “C.”

Use QuillBot’s free grammar checker to ensure you use capital or capitol correctly!

Is it state capital or capitol?

When you are talking about the principal city in a state, then the word you want is capital (e.g., “Providence is the capital of Rhode Island”). The building in the capital city where the legislature meets is the capitol (e.g., “Alaska’s capitol in Juneau is rather underwhelming”).

In Washington, D.C., the US Capitol is given an uppercase “C.”

Use QuillBot’s free grammar checker to ensure you use capital or capitol correctly!

Is this article helpful?
Trevor Marshall, MSc

Trevor has a BA in English Literature & Language and an MSc in Applied Social Studies. He has been a teacher for 25 years, with 15 years experience teaching ESL alongside 1st language students.