English Reference
Verb

capitalize

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈkæpətəˌɫaɪz/ cap·i·tal·ize UK spelling capitalise, capitalizes, capitalizing Accounting Business Finance

v.to write a letter in its large form, especially at the start of a sentence or for a name. You use this to make words stand out.

v.to write or print a letter in its uppercase form. Typically used in the passive voice when referring to specific words or names.


SIMPLE

Please capitalize the first letter of your name.

CONTEXTUAL

The style guide requires you to capitalize all proper nouns in the title.

COMPLEX

In legal documents, certain terms are capitalized to indicate they carry a specific, previously defined meaning within the contract.

Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.

The problem has been capitalising on the talent of Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

Al Jazeera· 15 Aug 2026

Retail analyst Catherine Shuttleworth thinks Argos could capitalise on this, along with its reputation as a trusted British brand.

BBC News· 6 Aug 2026

From capital + -ize, the first element ultimately from Latin capitālis (“of the head”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin capitālis
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated