A1noun1K

Capital

UK /["/ˈkæpɪtl/"]/US /["/ˈkæpɪtl/"]/

Definition

the most important town or city of a country or region, where the government operates from

In simple words: The city where a country's government is located.

Examples

  • Paris is the capital of France.
  • The capital city is usually the most important city in a country.
  • To start a new business, you need some capital to invest.
  • Many businesses require capital to grow and expand.
  • The early capital of the United States was Philadelphia.

Usage notes

Use 'capital' to refer to the primary city of a country or state, especially in formal contexts. Avoid using it in casual conversations unless discussing geography or politics.

Grammar pattern

standalone noun

Memory hint

Think of 'capital' as the 'cap' on top of a country's governance.

Collocations

  • great
  • major
  • British
  • in a/​the capital
  • capital of
  • the… capital of the world
  • risk
  • venture
  • fixed
  • have
  • accumulate
  • acquire
  • assets
  • goods
  • resources
  • capital and labour/​labor
  • an injection of capital
  • a return on your capital
  • risk
  • venture
  • fixed
  • have
  • accumulate
  • acquire
  • assets
  • goods
  • resources
  • capital and labour/​labor
  • an injection of capital
  • a return on your capital
  • risk
  • venture
  • fixed
  • have
  • accumulate
  • acquire
  • assets
  • goods
  • resources
  • capital and labour/​labor
  • an injection of capital
  • a return on your capital

Synonyms

  • metropolis
  • city
  • hub
  • seat of government
  • urban center

Antonyms

  • outskirts
  • periphery

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'capitol', which refers to a building where lawmakers meet.
  • Using 'capital' to refer to any city, instead of specifically the main government city.
  • Mispronouncing it, especially omitting the 'a' sound – it should be 'cap-i-tal'.