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 |
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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. |
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.
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.
An uppercase letter can also be called a capital, or a capital letter (where “capital” is an adjective).
Capital as an adjective
When used as an adjective, capital means “vital” or “principal.” A more old-fashioned meaning is “excellent.”
In legal systems that still have the death penalty (or “capital punishment”), capital means “punishable by death.”
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”).
Frequently asked questions about capital vs capitol
- Is it nation’s capital or capitol?
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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?
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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!